Though we can’t travel overseas yet, Global Dental Relief is excited to announce a unique opportunity to volunteer domestically in the Kentucky Appalachia! GDR volunteers will work in SmileFaith’s four-chair clinic in Jenkins, KY, providing free dental care to underserved children, 53% of whom have untreated caries. Our volunteers are well equipped to meet this dental challenge!
GDR’s Kentucky clinics will be similar to our small adventure trips – smaller teams and shorter itineraries. The team will include four clinicians, four assistants and two trip leaders. The six-day itinerary includes two travel days and four days working in the clinic. Volunteers will stay at the SmileFaith guesthouse within walking distance of their clinic and enjoy family style meals. The safety and health of our team and our patients is of our utmost concern. GDR staff developed a set of protocols to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.
The clinics will operate much like private practice here in the USA. Children will come to the clinic with their parents by appointment and be screened for COVID-19. Each patient will receive all their care with the same provider: dental exam, restorations, extractions, cleaning when possible, fluoride application, and oral health lesson. We hope to serve an average of 200 children per week.
Our inaugural teams launch on Wednesday, October 21st. Our dear Dr. Peter Vanicek will be leading a stellar team of return volunteers with excellent clinical experience and positive attitudes to embark on this new adventure.
We are thrilled to get back to work, doing what we love – providing free dental care to children in need around the globe!
If you are interested in joining a future Kentucky team, please email us at volunteer@globaldentalrelief.org. You can find more information about these domestic clinics HERE. We hope to continue sending volunteer teams to SmileFaith clinics in Kentucky and Florida in 2021.
– Written by Katy Troyer, GDR Deputy Director