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January 2011 |
Last November, TDC celebrated its second year of operation. Here's what's happening: TREATING We are so thankful we were able to see almost 3500 new patients this year (and hundreds who returned for a second visit) and provided over 6000 procedures, both of which were an increase from our first year. Severe dental conditions continue to present themselves, showing that the battle is far from over with dental complications. We treated over 400 patients with swelling of their face secondary to dental infection. TDC has also seen at least three cases of osteomyelitis every month. This is the destructive process that, from a single decayed tooth, can destroy a patient's bone and causes sometimes permanent distortion of their face. We are very happy to be collaborating with Mercy Ships and Harvard Medical School in a study researching the potential causes of this terrible condition. |
TEACHING Our dental health educator, Catherine Sirleaf, continues to teach daily in clinics, schools and other locations and has probably provided education to at least 15,000 people in the last year. We will increase that number significantly as Marilyn Kollie (pictured left), a dental assistant who has worked with Dr. Keith and Frieda since 2005, will begin to do part time education as well. SURFING? Surfing continues to help draw attention to Liberia and TDC: CLICK HERE |
TRAINING Probably our biggest news right now is that we will be sending Edward Maquie (pictured right), one of our assistants, to a Dental Nurse Practitioner training school in India. Edward got his Bachelor's of Science in Biology from the Episcopal University in Liberia, Cuttington, and has been working at TDC now for about two years in both reception and primarily assisting. In the intensive six month course, Edward will learn how to perform extractions and do fillings and hygiene. TDC has now trained two new dental assistants to fill in for Edward and also to enable one of our assistants to have more time to teach dental education. Unfortunately, because of the unrest in Ivory Coast, we have had difficulty obtaining Edward's visa to go to India, and we cannot purchase the plane ticket without it. Please pray along with us that we can obtain a visa quickly and purchase Edward's ticket. |