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Dentists Travel to Trojes and Help Bring Healthier Smiles for Many!

Sporting a battery-powered headlamp, Dr. Dave Weinstein of New York looked more like a miner than a dentist. And in fact he and Dr. Peter Abell of Brattleboro, VT did their fair share of digging as they filled cavities, extracted badly damaged teeth, and chipped off plaque for needy patients while visiting Trojes in October. This endeavor was part of the recent Pure Water trip to Trojes.

With the assistance of Peter’s wife Marian, a local dentist and a local nurse, many patients received much-needed care that otherwise would have been impossible for them to obtain in most cases.  Many set out before dawn from their remote farmsteads to come to the makeshift dental clinic the team set up in the Trojes health center.  The building was ill-equipped for a dentist’s office, and the team coped with tight quarters, no running water, power outages, and the deafening roar of the air compressors used to power the dentists’ tools. 

I had the privilege of translating for Dr. Weinstein part of the week, which meant I also got to watch the whole team work their magic.  They did an outstanding job putting nervous patients at ease, including lots of kids.  It was amazing to see so many worried faces sit down, then leave 20 minutes later with bright, white smiles.  The team also donated a large amount of dental and medical supplies that the health clinic is using to continue serving other patients.  A big thanks to Dr. Peter, Dr. Dave, Marian, and the Honduran team for making it all possible.