Follow Up Dental Mission to Guyana
November 2014
Empowering the Amerindians to service the dental needs of the remote village of Paramakatoi and surrounding villages in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana, South America, has been the goal of Fellow Ian Doyle since his first volunteer dental mission to the area in 2007 with Remote Area Medical Volunteers Canada. The mission was in response to an invitation of the Guyanese government to provide some dental services to this very remote area of the country, accessible only by air. The mission was organized under the leadership of retired dentist Dr Gary Samson who had been to the area 10 years earlier.
Fellow Ian Doyle’s first mission in 2007 to the Pakaraima Mountains was basically one of oral surgery because there was no equipment, electricity, running water or supplies available to do restorative dentistry. All equipment and materials had to be flown in, including food to eat, which in turn was transported from village to village on the backs of local drogeurs (porters) and the volunteers. Five villages in total were serviced that year.
As a result of this 10 day mission, a decision was made to return to the area, this time with portable dental units, a generator and supplies to provide more comprehensive dentistry. After four years of planning, a second 10 day mission was carried out 2011. During this second trip, great interest was shown by the area Dentexes in providing more comprehensive care to the area while observing restorative procedures made possible with the portable dental unit. Until now, the Dentexes were very limited in restorative training and had no equipment.
The enthusiasm shown by the Dentexes planted a seed which grew into the 10 day dental mission of 2014. The goal of this next phase was to train the three area Dentexes in the use and maintenance of a dental unit and generator that were to be left in the village of Paramakatoi and also provide comprehensive dental care to the local population.
This time the team consisted of Fellow Ian Doyle, his wife Anne, retired dentist Dr Gary Samson of Nova Scotia, and Glenn Smith a dental technician with Sinclair Dental in Ottawa. Fellow Ian Doyle provided dental services while teaching the restorative procedures that were initially beyond the scope of the Dentexes. In no time, the three Dentexes were completing many of the procedures on their own. The trio worked very well together much to the team’s delight. Dental technician, Glenn Smith instructed the three Dentexes on how to clean and maintain the portable unit and hand pieces. Glen was crucial to the success of this mission. Anne Doyle coordinated appointments and provided oral hygiene instruction to the youth of the local school. Anne was also instrumental in keeping the team well fed. Team leader, Dr Gary Samson, organized the logistics of the trip, interacted with village and government leaders and was able to triage patients during clinic time. He also received a commitment from government to supply gas for the generator and as a back-up RAMV-USA said they would fly gas into the village in an emergency.
Statistically, the following was accomplished during the 9 days of clinic: 42 OHI, 41 Fluorides, 5 surgical extractions, 38 extractions, 48 sealants, 155 restorations (anterior and posterior).
We believe that over the years, through RAMV Canada, we have been able to accomplish our goals of empowering the Amerindians of District 8 in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana to service most of their dental needs by having provided the necessary training, equipment and supplies and procuring a commitment from government and the new dental school in Georgetown to oversee, monitor, and make provisions when needed. None of this would have been possible without the generous support from ICD Canada, Sydney (NS) Sunrise Rotary Club, Cape Breton dentists, Henry Schein Dental, and Sinclair Dental.