Spotlight on Dental Volunteerism
Giving People a Reason to Smile
Dr. April Detar traveled to Jamaica in
March 2019 with a group from her church
in State College. She shared her
experiences and reflections from her
mission trip in the following narrative.
Eighteen of us from the Good Shepherd
Catholic Church in State College flew to
Maggotty, Jamaica to complete a mission
trip at the Holy Spirit Church.
The waiting room would fill up around
6 a.m. (the clinic opened at 8) and each
person took a number and waited until
we could see them; we would see 25-30
patients a day. I had many volunteer
helpers (including my husband – NOT into
dentistry!). Because it was Holy Week we
could only see patients three days this
week; we took out 127 teeth in those
3 days! They were the most grateful people
I have ever met. They all left with a smile
because I brought septocaine that was not
expired with me so they felt NO pain and
many asked me to take out tooth after
tooth because it didn’t hurt – we had to
cut some patients off at a seven tooth
maximum because we had too many
patients to see.
On Friday we saw their staff…it started as
a few and ended as more than 30 people
because they brought their families and
neighbors. We did our best to clean their
teeth (most need DSRP) but we didn’t have
adequate supplies to place fillings.
They had just expanded the dental area,
were opening a new eye clinic the week
30
after we left, and they have a PT clinic, a
general medicine clinic and a pharmacy.
We were limited with what we had available
to use and we made use of everything.
Lysol wipes became our best method
of sterilization. But the people and the
smiles created was the reason I did it.
My motto in my office is “Be the reason
someone SMILES today!” I wish everyone
had a chance to experience what I was able
to experience this week; talk about being
grateful and having perspective.
We all answered questions at an unpacking
meeting after we returned home. Here are
my reflections on the trip:
What experience(s) do I find myself
treasuring in my heart?
My most treasured experience is 18 “strangers”
walking onto a plane with different
expectations, coming together to serve
in whatever capacity they were asked.
What are the emotions that come to
me as I remember my experiences?
Love, respect, gratitude, forgiveness,
frustration, admiration, peace.
What positive behaviors did I see in the
Jamaican culture that feels different
from our culture?
Personal space did not seem to exist for
the Jamaicans; in church, they squeezed as
many people as they could into the pews;
they held each other’s babies; they did not
seem to have the walls built around them
that we in America tend to build; they
smiled at each other; they helped one
another. They did not have the material
possessions that Americans desire and yet
they seemed content; happy; satisfied.
They talked to one another in actual
conversation instead of via text.
What inspired me?
It was very difficult at first to see dentistry
in Jamaica through the lenses I use here at
SE P T E M B E R/OC TOBER 2019 | P EN N S YLVA N IA D EN TA L J O UR N AL
home. It took several hours the first day to
realize that extracting so many teeth was
indeed helping them because they had
been in so much pain for so long and this
would at least bring them relief. The
conditions were difficult at best; no
sterilization and no other options.
THEY inspired me; many came at 6 a.m. to
get a number and sat all day until I could
see them, terrified it would be painful. Each
and every one of them (including the 6- and
7-year-old kids that I removed 6-year
permanent molars on) THANKED me and
smiled at me and many gave me and my
helpers hugs. No one complained they had
to wait all day; no one complained they had
to pay $4 for treatment (they do not have
jobs or money; $4 is a lot). For just a few
minutes, I took away their pain, I gave them
my attention, and I helped them. They had
never met me before, knew nothing about
me, yet they trusted me. Dentistry is not like
this in the U.S.; THEY inspired me.
Is there something I heard that I never
want to forget?
I heard they referred to us as “whiteys,” and
I was able to experience the looks of what
so many “others” have received as we walked
one evening as a group in search of ice
cream. I never want to forget how that felt;
I was with many younger girls who were
fearful as we walked to town; these girls
had looked up to me all week so I had to
continue to not show fear for them, even
though there was a little fear inside. I hope
I never make anyone feel this way; one
lesson I have certainly learned in life is that
we are all a lot more alike than we are
different. If only we all could look through
the shells we have been given to wear to
see the person inside.
What is one thing that I experienced from
this mission experience that I would like
to continue to do?
Serve. I have been blessed with so many