Steven R. Pohlhaus, DDS
Minimally Invasive Laser Dentistry
Dr. Steven R. Pohlhaus Laser Dentistry on Facebook
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Steven R. Pohlhaus, DDS Minimally Invasive Laser Dentistry
Dr. Steven R. Pohlhaus Laser Dentistry on Facebook
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If you would like to help us with this project click here for a donation form
2009 Pictures The Dominican Dental Project is now on Facebook Since 1988, I have
had the great pleasure in participating in the Dominican Republic Dental Project.
Begun in 1982 by Dr. Francis Serio (under the auspices of the Catholic Medical Mission
Board) when he was an instructor at the University of Maryland Dental School, the
project has served thousands of rural poor in the Dominican mountains. To date over
five million dollars worth of care has been provided. Dental students from the Universities
of Maryland and Mississippi (where Dr. Serio is now), dentists, hygienists, and
others have participated through the years. Many Dominican dentists have helped
as well, including some who went to dental school after helping us on the project The goals of the project are to relieve pain, restore smiles and dignity, and to give dental students a rewarding volunteer experience Services provided include extractions, fillings, and partial dentures for these hard working people. The combination of poverty, marginal nutrition, and lack of access to care makes for rampant tooth decay. Dental caries (decay) is the most common infectious disease in the world, and borders on an epidemic in much of the developing world. In 2002 Dr Serio resigned
as active leader of the project after twenty years of loyal and unparalleled leadership.
He will continue to help us, but the The project had traditionally
comprised of groups going to three towns in the Dominican Republic. The largest
part of the project was in the town of San Jose de Ocoa, the original location for
the trip. The oral health in the pueblos surrounding this area has improved immensely
due to Dr Serio's hard work. A number of Dominican dentist are now active in this
town, some of who started out as kids holding flashlights while we worked. In fact
one of our coworker Dominican dentists is currently in charge of the government’s
oral health program in the Ocoa province, and the same program employs another.
We plan to help them both financially and logistically with the continuation of
the great strides in the Ocoa area, but it is time in that region for the Dominicans
to do it El Cercado and Hondo Valle are two remote towns near the Haitian border where much more work needs to be done. They are located in the poorest province of the country, and there is little access to oral health services. The project now focuses on these two towns. In 2002 , the first year of the project's newest incarnation, we had a wonderfully successful outcome; seeing over 500 patients and donating $150,000 worth of care in one week. This year's
project (July 2009) was a seamless success. Three dentists,
six dental
Watch this site for progress and updates on this year's project. If you would like to help us with this project click here for a donation form |
704 D Nursery Road Linthicum, Maryland 21090 410-789-4999 Last modified: February 12, 2010 |
as teenagers.
project has returned to Maryland as it's home base. My hope is that in this latest
incarnation the project can meet the high standards set by Dr. Serio's years
of hard work.
themselves. One project is well underway, where the local government dentists have
initiated an early intervention program in the elementary schools of the province.
This project will be run by the local dentists with material and logistical support
by us. Their greatest need from us is donated dental materials as they have manpower
and equipment but not enough expensive materials for fillings, sealants, and the
like.
students, and three Dominican dentists worked with a large group of local volunteers
to pull off a smooth operation. We treated nearly 400 people in a week of
fun, learning, and delivery of much needed care. We provided over $250,000 worth
of fillings, extractions, and partials. Steps were taken by the local Dominican
health committee to make their end run smoother than in the past so our job as volunteers
from the United States was easier than ever. I would like to thank all those responsible
who helped make our trip a success....starting with the volunteers from both
countries, to our many donors, to the people who quietly help us behind the scenes
seeking no recognition at all but only the good feeling of helping such a
needed project.