I had the privilege of heading to Mixco, Guatemala earlier this month with 40 dentists from the US and Canada. We were able to help almost 1,000 people in three and a half days with Dental Developmental Mission. It was such a rewarding experience to be able to change the lives of so many people in a unique way.
Many of these people have pain and no one to help them due to lack of access to care, lack of dental training, or financial difficulty. It was hard work, hot, and the chairs don’t allow for the best posture (my poor back). We worked long hours, seeing 250–280 people a day.
We worked until 9:15 pm, 8:15 pm, and 7:25 pm, but God refreshed me each day. I met many new dentists and friends and received great mentorship from Dr. Murph, Dr. Fletcher, Dr. James, and Dr. Crouch.
I was able to use all the dental Spanish I have learned over the years, which made the patients a lot more comfortable. I want to thank Benco Dental for donating dental supplies that I used on the trip and MyCHN for donating Amoxicillin and anesthetic.
I know it is more blessed to give than receive, but I feel I received a lot while on this trip. We did not have much time to explore or play, but we did get to eat at two amazing steakhouses.
I hope to make it back to Guatemala again to help more people and explore the beautiful country.
Robert Brock