OWF: Summer Newsletter 2019

SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2019

REDEFINING HUMANITARIAN DENTISTRY

"It is transformative for the heart. Reach out... volunteer!

Thank you for the memories."

-Kellie J. Sweeney, RDH

In this issue: Kellie Sweeney's Volunteer Profile Peronia Clinic Highlights

Kellie Sweeney, a Hygienist of over 11 years, shares about her recent volunteer outreach trip with the Open Wide Foundation. She has participated in many international outreach trips. 2018 was her first visit to Open Wide Foundation’s newest clinic of San Pedro that was recently expanded and serves the rural Mayan population in Guatemala.

Kellie volunteered alongside one of her patients, Silvana who supported her week of service by translating. She shares how the idea developed. Read the full story: Here

Student Ambassadors Fly for Good Humanitarian airfare resource International Oral Health Day Ambassadors Blast from the Past

Spring 2019

REDEFINING HUMANITARIAN DENTISTRY

PERONIA CLINIC FOCUSES ON SPECIAL CARE DENTISTRY

The Peronia staff took the initiative to receive training and certification from the Special Olympics Guatemala organization and later provided oral health checks for the Dubai Olympics participants.

Vol 1 Issue 1

The full Peronia staff receiving certification training from Special Olympics Guatemala

Learn more about the staff on their profiles: - Dr. Stephanie Lambour, Clinic Director - Dr. Rodrigo Davilla & Dr. Barby, Dentists - Zaira Carrazco, Receptionist We are so proud of the Peronia clinic team!

Please consider supporting the continued success and growth of the Special Care Dentistry Program: Click here Training & mentorship by Dr. Hicks, Dr. Schaffer, Dr. Romano, and other Special Care Dentistry specialists led to Peronia becoming the first year-round Special Care program in 2015.

A few weeks later, staff facilitated exams for the athletes participating in the Special Olympics in Abbu Dhabi.

PREVENTION & EDUCATION

YOUTH AMBASSADORS

READY TO JOIN US?

Building strong oral health care education & prevention has been a continuous focus for Open Wide Foundation.

After returning from their clinical week of service in Peronia, our first two Student Scholarship awardees were committed to join Open Wide Youth Programs Ambassador Ryan Guggenheim in the establishment of the OWF Youth Ambassadors program.

To secure your trip in our clinic calendar HERE.

Last month we had a very successful SDF training week preparing the local staff to treat primary school children for a collaborative roll out with the University of San Carlos & Villa Nueva Health Department.

Help the next generation of students by supporting Student Scholarships: Click here

Thank you to all the volunteers who have made 2019 our highest volunteer sign-ups yet!

TIP: Consider booking your airfare through Fly for Good to access discounted flights for humanitarian volunteers.

MARCH 20TH, 2019 INTERNATIONAL ORAL HEALTH DAY By: Nicole Huser

SAN PEDRO This year the San Pedro Clinic staff organized activities and hosted students from a local elementary school to celebrate International Oral Health day.

Local dental residents helped organize the event, distribute educational resources and home care kits.

Most importantly, the staff is continuing to build relationships with local schools to ensure the community knows the clinic is an available resource. Click here to view a clip of the day.

PERONIA For the sixth year, Peronia staff celebrated International Oral Health Care Day at local elementary schools in the municipality of Villa Nueva providing oral health care checks, fluoride washes and educational instruction & resources.

View a clip of their activities by clicking here.

International Oral Health Day connects Open Wide efforts to a broader global health campaign crossing international borders.

March 20th was designated as International Oral Health Care Day by the World Dental Federation and is observed every March 20 across the world. The campaign raises global awareness for oral health care issues and invites governments, health associations, outreach organizations and the general public to collaborate in the improvement of the quality of life to all our communities.

We love that on this day outreach activities to better oral health are happening simultaneously worldwide in countries like Sudan, Egypt, Turkey and Poland.

The Peronia story is one that all who volunteer & support it can feel part of.

Thank you for keeping the ripple effect going!

BLAST FROM THE PAST By: Lisa Wysel

~Lisa Wysel, OWF Founder & Secretary

In late 2012, the Peronia clinic was in the beginning stages of construction.

The mayor of the municipality asked a group of school children to draw a picture of their dream for the new clinic. What would it look like? What would be special to them about it?

Surprisingly, one of the main features in many of the children's drawings was not a dental chair or a dentist with shiny bright teeth standing in front of the clinic... but street lights and roads.

Seven years later, we see that the children's dreams are coming true as a direct result of Open Wide. Located in a town where poverty is rampant, the new Open Wide clinic has inspired an influx of government infrastructure and community projects, new businesses, a job training school adjacent to the clinic, a bank, a restaurant and yes, some streetlights!

DO YOU HAVE STORIES TO SHARE IN OUR NEXT NEWSLETTER?

LET US KNOW AT OPENWIDE@OPENWIDEFOUNDATION.ORG

MEET OUR AMBASSADORS

Ambassadors The Ambassador program is a group of nominated dentists from across the U.S. & Canada who's volunteer trips, training and expertise collectively advance the mission of Open Wide to better oral health in the communities we serve.

Click on each name to view their profiles.

Dr. O'Shea

Dr. James

Dr. Tang

Dr. Payne

Dr. Pearce

Dr.Greco

Dr. Schaffer

Dr. Virga

Dr. Giotopolous

Dr. Hicks

Dr. Johnson

Dr. Wada

Dr. Tesoniero

Dr. Timm

Dr. Merriman

Dr. Fay

Dr. Cornehl

Dr. Heringer

Dr. Romano

Dr. Plancich

Dr. Mirza

Dr. Burris

7201 EAST PRINCESS BLVD. SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85255 855-843-8444 | WWW.OPENWIDEFOUNDATION.ORG

WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO OUR VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS FOR MAKING ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE. Your support has made a difference in thousands of lives and created a legacy of sustainable oral health in communities that previously had no access to dental care.

OPEN WIDE’S IMPACT IS FAR-REACHING, AND YET THERE’S STILL SO MUCH MORE WE CAN DO. WE HOPE THAT THIS YEAR YOU’LL CONSIDER JOINING US AS A SUPPORTER OR VOLUNTEER. Learn more about Open Wide Foundation by calling 855-843-8444 or visiting www.openwidefoundation.org