Come all who will for free dental treatment!
Dental Mission January 9-13, 2012. "Svanen" Dental Clinic from Lyngby (Copenhagen) joined us for a 5 days mission and treated 503 patients! Well done!
Back row: If Klaus (documentary team), Einar (Rise Above), Michelle, Carina, Lone (volunteer with Rise Above), Victor (documentary team), Mars (working full time with Rise Above), Flemming (Rise Above) -
Middle row: Johnny (working full time with Rise Above), Marie (Rise Above), Britt, Camilla, Per, Birgit, Dorte, Elisabet (Rise Above) -
Front row: Gabriel (Rise Above), Benedikte, Bodil, Birgitte, Mahzad, Carsten (documentary team) and Annafia
The dental mission was held at two locations. The first 3 days, we set up the clinic at Cebu Missionary Foundation’s school at Inayawan Rubbish Dump. It was quite an experience to see how people are living and surviving on top of the garbage in such terrible conditions. Yet, as Filipinos, there were always a smile and a welcoming and happy spirit. The contrasts between Denmark and the Philippines are so vast, it’s hard to fully comprehend how one can even find happiness in such a filthy and stinking place. So to have the free clinic operational there for 3 days, was a wonderful experience, and the whole team worked hard so that as many as possible could be treated.
Periodically, it rained heavily. It was good the rain had stopped when we went for a walk through the "residential" area.
Those SMILES! It was so touching!
The children were having fun seeing all the foreigners walk through their area and taking photos. Filipinos love photo-taking!
And what about a playground like this one?
Residents from the rubbish dump waiting in line for treatment
The 2 last days, the dental clinic was set up at a school for the Badjao population in the slums of Alaska Mambaling. Here some of the team are looking out from 2nd floor to watch the people in the "village".
Many got their front teeth fixed
Mars and Johnny are a big part of our work here in Cebu. They are two talented boys who love to learn. Mars has learned how to make dentures, and Johnny is learning technical stuff
It takes a lot of concentration to get a denture just right
Before...
...and after. It makes a big difference in a young person's life
This little girl already had a bad infection, so she was given free antibiotics. Marie also gave her a toothbrush from 3DP - Steka Reklame A/S, who sponsored 10.000 children's toothbrushes. Everyone were given a toothbrush, and the rest will be distributed in needy areas to help improve the dental health in Cebu
The dental team worked hard to treat as many patients as possible - and the documentary team watched constantly to make sure they got to record some good stories to tell
We have hundreds of photos from the 5 days dental mission, and we would have liked to share them all with you, because it was so inspiring to see the change it made in each of the patients. We are so very thankful for the dental team from “Svanen” who made this dental mission possible. You definitely made a big difference, and you’re always welcome to come to Cebu again. We wish you all the best for 2012, and that this beginning of the year was an experience that will live with you for the whole year and more.
Tags: dental assistants, dental clinic, dental hygienists, Dental Mission, dental mission Cebu, dentists, documentary team, free dental treatment, medical mission, Missionaries, Rise Above Foundation
