On a recent mission trip to the remote coastal town of Gracias a Dios, Honduras, Dr. Gardner and nine other medical professionals had the opportunity to serve hundreds of new patients who do not have access to standard dental treatments through the organization Medico . The team consisted of 2 DDS, 2 MDs, 3 nurses, 1 dental hygienist, 1 optometrist, and additional support staff. During the 8 days that the staff spent in the country, 428 teeth were removed, 220 teeth were filled, and 300 school children were administered fluoride.
Providing dental care for areas where oral health education remains low is a top priority because these areas have a lot to gain with even learning the basics of oral health like brushing teeth twice a day. Beyond, having great oral health allows people to maintain a healthy diet and be able to eat food items that are important like proteins and salads. If someone is missing back molars, then chewing any greens or grains becomes difficult. Similarly, if someone is missing their front teeth or canines, chewing meet or biting into things becomes impossible. With this, educating someone prior to them losing these tooth is dramatically important because dental treatments like implants and dentures are scarce in areas like Honduras. Dr. Gardner cherishes the time he spent in Honduras and the patients he was able to serve. He hopes to return to Honduras or another area that lacks dental care soon.
Here are some pictures from his trip to Gracias a Dios!
Contact Your Green Bay Family Dentists Today
Oral Health Associates is dedicated to giving back to not only the Green Bay community, but also the international community. With Dr. Gardner’s humanitarian participation with Medico, he was able to provide a significant benefit those served in Honduras. Beyond, this will have lasting impact as the patients served are now equipped with prevention knowledge to have better oral health in the future. We’re very excited Dr. Gardner was able to participate and look forward to continually giving back to our community!
No matter if you’re looking for family dentistry , cosmetic dentistry, or general dental treatment, Oral Health Associates has been a large part of the Green Bay community for over 25 years and we would love to have you join our office as a patient. Contact Us today to schedule an appointment!
