Owing to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Operation Smile's Annual two-week dental mission to Vietnam was cancelled after the first week. "It was one of those unwelcome surprises." says Daniel A. Bobrow, mission volunteer and president of The American Dental Company which, through it's Dentists Climb for a Cause Foundation, raises funds in support of the mission. "The missions have gotten bigger and better with each passing year and, in terms of treatment and education, this was to be the best yet."
The Team, composed of 12 dentists, 2 sponsors and a mission coordinator, pre-screened over 700 children. At the urging of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mission organizers regrettably decided that it was in the best interest of both the Team and its intended patients for an early termination of this year's mission.
Natalie Miller, Mission Coordinator says, "Everyone on the team was very disappointed because we had all put a lot of hard work into planning, organizing, and fundraising for this mission. But safety is always first. The CDC headquarters in Atlanta told us to avoid all hospital and patient contact, and to evacuate Vietnam as soon as possible. So, that's what we did."
The organizers and Team are quick to highlight the positive aspects of this year's mission:
* The Dental Hygiene Awareness Contest, in which children of all ages compete for cash prizes by submitting drawings depicting their ideas about good oral hygiene, attracted over 100,000 entries this year
* A fact finding mission to Hue City, on the coast near the center of the country yielded an agreement from the authorities to provide the team access to a fourchair clinic and, once completed, a 20-chair facility
* Coordination with in-country resources, including mobile dentistry vans, which will permit the Team to serve rural communities
* Clinical lectures for viewing by Vietnamese dentists and dental students were videotaped
Support next year will continue to be largely through the Dentists Climb For A Cause event. This year's climb will be over the Labor Day Weekend. The team's goal will be to summit Mt. Charleston, just outside Las Vegas. The Team is also planning a gala banquet and golf outing in the D.C. area.
For more information on how you can help support the Team's future efforts, contact Daniel Bobrow, President, American Dental Company at (312) 455-9488 or [email protected].
