Guatemala Health Service Trip 2015

ImagininGuatemala
When signing up to go on a Service Study Abroad
trip to Guatemala, the ultimate dream is being
able to actually put your studies to work in a
dental clinic. When Abigail Ritter and Andrea
Schubert were accepted for their service trip, this
hope became a reality.

Providing the families with more than just

temporary materialistic support was important to
both Abigail and Andrea, who have both
volunteered for monthly sponsorship of a child
from each of the families they built for and
partook in purchasing water purification systems
for the new homes.

Their first week in Antigua, Guatemala was filled

with service events, cultural events, and adjusting
to life with a host family. Part of the study abroad
experience was immersing themselves in the
culture, which would not be possible staying in a
hotel.

The group was split up to build four different

families each their very own homes literally from
the ground up. After four strenuous days of
sawing, laying brick, mixing cement, painting, the
groups were finally able to present each family
with their brand new homes. These homes
included most families very first glass window,
tile flooring instead of the dirt they had grown
accustom to, and some clothing and school
supplies. More than just sweat, the service team
put their hearts into building these homes and
improving these families lives.

On Friday of the service teams first week, they

provided a meal to around 150 people living at the
garbage dump in nearby Escuintla. Visiting their
so-called homes made of cardboard and discarded
belongings and watching them fight with vultures
for food, everyone on the trip felt heartsick; like
providing a meal just wasnt enough. Looking
around though, the people were thankful for what
we fed them, and for what they had in general.
Not one person was sitting on the trash feeling
sorry for themselves. The bus to our next event
was silent as each of us began to reflect on our
own lives.
Over the weekend, the whole team went on a
relaxing cultural excursion to Lake Atitlan near
Panajachel. Their final week was divided amid

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numerous cultural and service events. Among

them, a trip to a coffee bean plantation,
assembling wheelchair parts at Hope Heaven, and
spent an afternoon playing with children at an
HIV/AIDS Orphanage.
Two of the highlights of the week were organizing a
clothing drive for the people of San Miguel Duenas
and actively participating in a traditional Mayan
Ceremony. The ceremony emphasized the
relationship we as humans share with Mother
Nature, specifically earth, air, water, fire and to not
let those go unappreciated. In the months leading
up to departure, the group had been collecting
donations specifically to host this clothing drive.
Collectively they filled 28 army duffle bags with
more than $8,000 worth of goods for the people of
Guatemala.

Common Hope
Traveling through the organization
ImagininGuatemala, the dental team was able to
connect with the organization Common Hope to
collectively treat 39 patients over 2 days. Working
in conditions which we have yet to see in United
States, they discovered that PPE (Personal

Guatemala

Protective Equipment) such as masks, gloves and

safety goggles were not always used. They
learned the hard way that heat sterilizers, used to
sterilize their instruments, quickly melt plastic and
destroy entire sets of instruments in one foul
swoop. The students quickly learned to adapt to a
3 chair clinic with only one movable patient chair,
two unable to be used for polishing, one with an
unusable light, and no actual operator chairs.

Guatemala is a third world country where cleaning

below the gum tissue is uncommon and where
coffee is a staple even among children and soda
comes in 3 liter bottles. Since deciduous teeth are
seen as expendable, the dental team was shocked
by the amount of decay and destruction in
childrens mouths. Even treating adult patients,
there was an excessive amount of calculus,
gingivitis and widespread decay.
One known cause for the high prevalence of caries
is the widespread lack of water fluoridation.
According to the World Health Organization, only
15.4% of the Guatemalan population has access to
fluoridated water. Most didnt willingly develop
unhealthy oral cavities, they just didnt know any

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Guatemala

their teeth. In return, we were able to receive

confirmation of understanding through their
expressions and gratitude. The blessing of being
able to give these patients the tools and
knowledge they need for the future, along with a
clean slate was very rewarding.

better. They are given information on tooth

brushing, there just isnt the follow through to
show comprehension. We provided the adults with
a tooth brush and toothpaste to take home, and
gave the kids a tooth brush, toothpaste, two
minute timer, and cup. In addition to the gifts for
the kids, even though language was a barrier, we
were able to teach the children through facial
expressions and gestures how to properly brush

Even though Abigail and Andrea have returned

from Guatemala, their journey is not over. They
hope to return back to the country that opened
their eyes and hearts to how much they have to
offer to people in need. Being in the dental
hygiene field, they hope to help improve the longterm oral health of Guatemalans.