Saturday, 03/21: Playing Dentist

It's weird to be back in the states after such an eventful spring break. Sorry I did not updating earlier. I dived into the first day of spring quarter with a lot to do, but here's the first of many updates. The big idea of the trip? We did a lot of service, had a lot of fun and came back with plenty of stories to tell.

After settling in with my host Carmen, we went to a local elementary school in Guatemala City for our first day of service. Headed by Rotaract Club of Guatemala Sur, the health clinic provided free basic healthcare to the community. Even before the doors opened, a line of parents holding their children formed on the sidewalk. Because 250 people came (over double what was expected), we worked past noon and unfortunately had to turn away people because of a lack of resources.

A few of us taught children proper toothbrushing techniques. Others helped apply flouride and conduct basic eye examinations for an opthamalogist. Rocio, Lauren and I assisted a group of student dentists from a local university with teeth extractions. It surprised me that students were receiving such practical application. In the U.S., medical students practice on cadavers and use innovative technology before prying teeth out of an actual child's mouth. But necessity in Guatemala calls for hands-on practice. It's a win-win situation.

We helped sterilize equipment and set up trays as four or five people would come in, sit in small kiddie chairs and wait for dentists to examine their teeth. The condition of these people's teeth oftentimes called for multiple extractions. Most children sat with stoic faces, hardly budging after the dentists yanked out their teeth. That is respectable.

The entire experience was incredibly overwhelming and hard to gain a full grasp on. Little children and adults alike peered through the classroom windows trying to get a peek of our one-day clinic. Some smiled bashfully at us, nervous for what was to come. At one point in time, a little girl walked in, clenching her grandmother around the leg. Tears ran down her face and she refused to sit still for a teeth examination. She squirmed and kneaded her lips together as Carmen, the dentist who is also a Rotaract member, grabbed a dentist mirror to inspect her teeth. After Carmen made a few more attempts, the girl's grandmother, dressed in faded Guatemalan garbs, swooped her out of the chair and onto her lap. Rocio and Lauren took quick action and helped hold her down -- one taking her arms and legs, the other her head. It was the most painful thing to watch, knowing that this girl needed her teeth examined to avoid further hygiene and health problems, but to watch her do it against her will.

After each extraction, the dentists would show us the tooth -- bloodied, blackened and often only a portion of what used to be a full tooth. As ridiculous as it may sound, donning a doctor's coat with "Emily" slapped on the left breast created an immediate sense of importance. The entire experience was a wake-up call and a memorable experience.










The rest of the day? We ate at Pollo Campero, the Guatemalan equivalent of KFC and went out to a local club that night for a fantastic night of dancing and bonding. The night was a little crazy, but a great kick-off to what would become an amazing week.