This was not my first medical trip in Haiti, but it was the first time I went with Sionfonds.  One of the things that impressed me the most was that Sionfonds is providing not only medical, but also dental care.  While there are many groups sending medical teams to Haiti these days, there are very few that offer dental services.  Just as in the U.S., in Haiti, dental care is much harder to come by than medical care, to the extent that outside of the cities, it is virtually non-existent.  Because of this, it was a huge pleasure to see Sionfonds volunteer dentists, Scott Bullock, Matt Valentine and Allen Hilton, arrive with boxes of fluoride, sealants, anesthetic,  a vast array of dental instruments and all of the supplies to keep everything sterile even in the most challenging of situations!

Honestly, although I have spent quite a bit of time in Haiti, I had never really paid close attention to anyone’s teeth.  It was heartbreaking to see the level of decay, especially in kids.  It was satisfying to see painful teeth being removed and even more satisfying to see sealants and fluoride being applied to kids’ teeth.

Enjoy the photos and many thanks to the dentists who made all this possible!

Serena Clayton