It is easy to become complacent and comfortable in everyday life and fail to remember that many people throughout the world do not have clean water, let alone a toothbrush.
As I was finishing my last year of dental hygiene school, I began to think about what I would do during the several weeks between graduation and the start of my career. While waiting for my licensure, I decided to take a trip with a group of young professionals to Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. We landed in Port Au Prince to begin an experience that would forever change me.
It had been two years since the devastating earthquake of 2010 that shook Haiti to the core. Homes were loosely thrown together with sticks and stone. Tarps served as doors and rooftops. Neighborhoods were flooded with debris. I would soon learn that the appearance of these homes and villages failed to break the spirit of Haiti’s people. There was no shortage of bonjours and smiles amongst the Haitian men, women, and children. How could these people be so pleasant and happy under such daunting circumstances? I instantly knew Haiti was a special place. I learned that Haitians take great pride in what they have. Their homes may have been constructed with a roof made of blue plastic tarps, but the tarps were orderly and the inside of their homes were organized. I witnessed one woman sweeping her dirt floor with a handmade broom of palm tree fronds. From the outskirts looking in, these neighborhoods looked like fields of scattered debris. However, from the inside, each home was cared for and built with tremendous pride.
We then traveled from Port Au Price to Northern Haiti where we helped restore an orphanage and practiced English with dozens of orphans, many of whom had lost their parents in the earthquake. Throughout the trip I became attached to one of the orphaned children. As our trip came to a conclusion one little girl touched my face, looked me in the eye, and said, “I love you, Sara.” I was hooked on Haiti from that moment.
I arrived home in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, where my dental hygiene license awaited me. I began my career in an upscale office but kept thinking of my new friends in Haiti. I knew that I had to return to such an extraordinary place. So I did. I returned the following year, but this time as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Prior to my trip, I reached out to local dental representatives and luckily had an overwhelming response with product donations and necessary supplies to provide cleanings, sealants, fluoride and oral hygiene instruction. I was able provide care for an entire orphanage to children that otherwise would have no access to care.
Since my first trip to Haiti in 2012, I have completed five trips and worked alongside established orphanages to provide care to children in need. It is undoubtedly a humbling and rewarding experience. I am thankful for the support of my colleagues, friends, family and my incredibly encouraging husband for making it all possible.
Although most Haitians speak Creole, communication has never been a barrier. The saying “everyone smiles in the same language” has a whole new meaning and still resonates with me today.
Editor's note: This article first appeared in RDH eVillage. Click here to subscribe.
