D R . D I L S H A D S U M A R — V O L U N T E E R I N G I N S I E M R E A P , C A M B O D I A
live video ( Skype ) and I would answer their questions and guide them in their treatment plans . With a 12 hour time difference between Siem Reap ( Cambodia ) and the east coast of the United States , I could do a live consultation during their treatment hours !
In the last three years the staff at the dental clinic has made tremendous progress . The number of teeth being restored has increased and the extractions have decreased . Pulpotomies are being done whenever possible and these teeth are not being extracted . Sealants are being placed where these teeth would have become carious in a couple of years . The ART technique is being used if the parents come from far away and cannot return to the clinic . This technique arrests the cavities in many teeth at the same time and decreases the chances of carious pulpal exposure and pain . I have also implemented fluoride varnish application on all the patients when they visit the dental clinic .
I am the liaison for all the volunteers who come to the AHC . Dental Volunteers come from all over the world to volunteer . I get in touch with them before their visit to AHC to orient them to the culture of Cambodia and the protocol of the dental department . This makes it easier for them to be productive from day one .
The AHC has an outreach program where the dental staff visits different schools in the vicinity of Siem Reap . The staff takes a portable chair and dental instruments and visits the school . They give oral hygiene instructions to the students , and all the children who have dental pain come forward and unfortunately , their teeth are extracted . These students live too far from the AHC to avail themselves of the services offered at the dental department ; hence the AHC staff members go to them . Sometimes ART technique is performed . I have instituted a fluoride varnish program in these remote schools as fluoride rinses need monitoring , and it is not possible to do so in these remote schools due to staff shortage at the AHC .
( Editors note : Atraumatic restorative treatment uses manual excavation of dental caries , which eliminates the need for anesthesia and use of expensive equipment , and restores the cavity with glass ionomer , an adhesive material that bonds to the tooth structure and releases fluoride as it stimulates remineralization . Atraumatic restorative treatment is noninvasive , making it highly acceptable to patients .)
I have instituted a weekly fluoride rinse program in four schools in the remote areas . The total number of students who benefit from this program is about 2,500 . The dental staff at the AHC teach the teachers the protocol of administering fluoride rinses and they monitor it once a month . At that time they also give oral hygiene instructions to the students . A fifth school of 350 students will be added in January . I am supporting this new school ’ s program through the Ponheary Ly foundation ( another non-profit organization ) in Siem Reap . This is a pilot program and if it gets established , I will have several schools in this program funded by my family foundation , The Sumar-Lakhani Foundation .
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