Dental Clinic
This Tuesday we had the opportunity to join the Dentist from the hospital’s community health department, Dr. Jog, on a school dental health visit. We took a very bumpy and windy 35 minute car ride to a nearby village school to screen children ages 6-12. Dr. Jog is a military trained dentist who has been working for the hospital for 5 months now and has launched a very focus and thorough mission and study. Nearly each week she visits one school, examines the children’s teeth, records the condition of each tooth of each child and the following 3-4 days will transport the children to the hospital for whatever dental repairs maybe needed.
This Tuesday we had the opportunity to join the Dentist from the hospital’s community health department, Dr. Jog, on a school dental health visit. We took a very bumpy and windy 35 minute car ride to a nearby village school to screen children ages 6-12. Dr. Jog is a military trained dentist who has been working for the hospital for 5 months now and has launched a very focus and thorough mission and study. Nearly each week she visits one school, examines the children’s teeth, records the condition of each tooth of each child and the following 3-4 days will transport the children to the hospital for whatever dental repairs maybe needed.
I will attempt to describe the scene since pictures will not post:
The school day begins at 11am, we arrive at 10:30 so that the dentist and her assistants can get set up just as they want before all of the children and any of the teachers arrive. It is a 3 room school house with a nursery, cooking house and ‘outhouse’ on site. The school house has an open, covered porch attached to the front. At the very end of this porch is where we set up the portable dental chair, a small teacher’s desk to hold a few tools and for the assistant to record the condition of each child’s tooth. We set up outside because the dentist prefers natural light to inspect the children’s teeth and the classroom offers very little light all together.
The school day begins at 11am, we arrive at 10:30 so that the dentist and her assistants can get set up just as they want before all of the children and any of the teachers arrive. It is a 3 room school house with a nursery, cooking house and ‘outhouse’ on site. The school house has an open, covered porch attached to the front. At the very end of this porch is where we set up the portable dental chair, a small teacher’s desk to hold a few tools and for the assistant to record the condition of each child’s tooth. We set up outside because the dentist prefers natural light to inspect the children’s teeth and the classroom offers very little light all together.
Along with inspection of each tooth, an assistant will take each child’s weight along with their head and chest circumference. Once each child has had their measurements taken, they stand politely in a single file line, with their paper in hand, waiting for their turn in the big blue chair. In one hour she screened 46 children and of those 46, 45 had to come to the hospital for either fillings or extractions or both.
Once EVERY child had been examined, Dr. Jog requested to speak with the parents, and the children are sent off running to gather their parents. For about 30 min the parents were slowing trailing into the school for the lecture from the dentist. Some of the children returned without their parents and told the teacher that their mothers were getting ready and would be here shortly. And the mothers did come, in their nicest Saris and flowers in their hair. Apparently the children told them we (the Americans) were there… we tend to be an attraction! The following is Beth’s interpretation of what was said with the children arrived home:
"Momma, Momma!! There are white people with the dentist!! There is one with red hair and skin so white I can barely look at it… and two of them with hair the color of rice grass… and there is one VERY BIG man! The biggest man we’ve ever seen!! You MUST come and see!”
"Momma, Momma!! There are white people with the dentist!! There is one with red hair and skin so white I can barely look at it… and two of them with hair the color of rice grass… and there is one VERY BIG man! The biggest man we’ve ever seen!! You MUST come and see!”
The dentist said it was one of her best turnouts and teased that she was going to keep us so the parents continue to come. All in all, the parents were very receptive of what the dentist had to say at the lecture.
Nearly all of these children have NEVER had ANY kind of dental hygiene care in their life, including no brushing or even rinsing of their mouths. Unfortunately she cannot just do a mass distribution of toothbrushes and paste until she has repaired the teeth or the brushing will cause many teeth to break off and cause the children more pain. This will then work again the program because the parents will see it as this Dr. giving something that has hurt my child, therefore not believing in the dentist and not allowing their child to see her ever again. Along with healthcare, residents of the local rural villages are skeptical and uneducated about the importance of oral hygiene. So this is a long process to convince the parents, children and teachers that this is an important part of their health. During this meeting Dr. Job presented 1 boy with a toothbrush and paste. He was the ONLY child that did not have a cavity or any decaying teeth, so she wanted to make it to be a big deal by presenting this toothbrush and paste to him in front of all the parents and other children. Once those who need dental care receive it, then they too will get their brush and paste.
After the meeting in the classroom, everyone files outside for a demonstration on how to rinse the mouth after eating. Remember, they do not encourage tooth brushing at this time because the teeth are so bad. So she teaches them to rinse and swish with water, as well as to just rub their teeth down with their finger. This is what they are to do until they get their tooth brushed or when a tooth brush is not available.
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School Days
That afternoon, when we got back to the hospital, we were scheduled to go into the school and watch this sport that they have that included wooden poles and ropes. Well we get to the school and the principal tells us that we are to go and speak to the children… here’s the conversation:
Us: “Uh… speak to them?” (having not been told we were going to speak in front of the classrooms, we thought we were there for the children to do a demonstration)
Principal: “Yes, the classrooms we will go into and you speak to them.”
Us: “Uh… ok… Should we have had something prepared…?”
Principal: “No, no, you just speak to them about your school and the U.S. and they ask questions”
Us: “Ok”
The first class we visit is a 6th grade classroom. The students greeted us with “Good afternoon” in unison. Then they presented each of us with a deep pink rose. Whoa! We were not quite prepared for this. Then the Q&A time goes something like this:
Us: “So…. We’re physician assistant students from the United States working and learning at the hospital here on campus. We help the doctors and do a lot of the same things like the doctors do. Does anyone here want to be a doctor some day?”
6th Graders: ….complete silence.
Us: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
6th graders: …. More silence.
Us: “Ok then… uh… does anyone want to go to the United States when you get older…?”
6th Graders: … complete silence.
Us: “Anyone like to play sports?”
6th graders: A mixture of volleyball, Cricket and a few Indian games were voiced. Finally, they speak!
Us: “Ok… anyone have any questions…?”
6th Graders: … complete silence.
And this went on until the awkwardness got to be too much to handle and the teacher finally intervened and made them ask some questions.
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School Days
That afternoon, when we got back to the hospital, we were scheduled to go into the school and watch this sport that they have that included wooden poles and ropes. Well we get to the school and the principal tells us that we are to go and speak to the children… here’s the conversation:
Us: “Uh… speak to them?” (having not been told we were going to speak in front of the classrooms, we thought we were there for the children to do a demonstration)
Principal: “Yes, the classrooms we will go into and you speak to them.”
Us: “Uh… ok… Should we have had something prepared…?”
Principal: “No, no, you just speak to them about your school and the U.S. and they ask questions”
Us: “Ok”
The first class we visit is a 6th grade classroom. The students greeted us with “Good afternoon” in unison. Then they presented each of us with a deep pink rose. Whoa! We were not quite prepared for this. Then the Q&A time goes something like this:
Us: “So…. We’re physician assistant students from the United States working and learning at the hospital here on campus. We help the doctors and do a lot of the same things like the doctors do. Does anyone here want to be a doctor some day?”
6th Graders: ….complete silence.
Us: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
6th graders: …. More silence.
Us: “Ok then… uh… does anyone want to go to the United States when you get older…?”
6th Graders: … complete silence.
Us: “Anyone like to play sports?”
6th graders: A mixture of volleyball, Cricket and a few Indian games were voiced. Finally, they speak!
Us: “Ok… anyone have any questions…?”
6th Graders: … complete silence.
And this went on until the awkwardness got to be too much to handle and the teacher finally intervened and made them ask some questions.
We then proceeded to the 11th grade room and the conversation wasn’t a whole lot different. They did talk a little more, and this time we had them stand up and tell us what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was a science focused group of kids so we got answers like doctor, mechanical engineer, civil engineer, military officer, computer analyst etc. Their answer to the question, “Does anyone want to go to the US?” was an overwhelming yes. There was more question and answer back and forth with this group of students.
After speaking with the 11th graders we proceeded to the activity area for the demonstration we thought we were there for. The girls did gymnastics moves on a vertical hanging rope, climbing nearly 20ft in the air, twisting, twirling and wrapping the rope around herself into different poses. The boys take part in Mallakhamb or spelled Malkhamb. You will have to Google this one, VERY impressive to see. The children practice every day and go to competitions at local, regional, state and national levels.
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Ceremony
At the end of our school tour we were rather quickly shuffled next door to attend the Nursing School’s Lighting of the Lamp ceremony (similar to US nursing ceremonies celebrating Florence Nightingale). Mind you, we are still in the same scrubs we wore while on the dental visit that morning, and it was a HOT day, so we are not necessarily looking our best! Any way… little did we know that our day of importance was not yet over. At the entrance to the auditorium (picture a middle school gymnasium, minus the bleachers and add a stage at one end) we are greeted by the dean of the nursing college who briefs us on the ceremony. We graciously nod and thank her for inviting us.
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Ceremony
At the end of our school tour we were rather quickly shuffled next door to attend the Nursing School’s Lighting of the Lamp ceremony (similar to US nursing ceremonies celebrating Florence Nightingale). Mind you, we are still in the same scrubs we wore while on the dental visit that morning, and it was a HOT day, so we are not necessarily looking our best! Any way… little did we know that our day of importance was not yet over. At the entrance to the auditorium (picture a middle school gymnasium, minus the bleachers and add a stage at one end) we are greeted by the dean of the nursing college who briefs us on the ceremony. We graciously nod and thank her for inviting us.
As we enter there is a crowd of about 100 nursing students and nearly 100 family and hospital staff members seated waiting for the ceremony to begin. We enter from the front and begin to walk toward some open seats in the back of the auditorium. We thought what a nice break this would be to sit back and enjoy the ceremony. But of course that is not the way it went. Instead a man escorts us to the front, and not just front row, but designated chairs ON STAGE, tight behind the distinguished guest speakers. “Um, Sir… we do not need to sit up here!” He just kept telling us sit here. So here we are… sitting on stage, in front of everyone, in our same scrubs we wore on the dusty, sweaty dental trip. Oh boy, do we feel out of place as we look over the crowd and see that people are dressed to the nines for this event! Needless to say we were rather confused and a bit embarrassed, but to our defense we knew nothing of this prior to the start of the event.
While we are still pondering what in the world we are doing up here and feeling ENTIRELY out of place, the man who showed us to these seats comes back and asks us which one of us will be giving the talk. THE TALK?!?! Sorry… but holy crap!... now we really don’t know what’s going on! We explained that we knew nothing about speaking, had nothing prepared and we were not nurses (he kept telling us to just say something about nursing). I think he saw the fear and confusion in our eyes because he proceeds to tell us that we did not have to but they wanted to offer. So we feel bad, but relieved, yet still wondering what we are doing on stage.
The dignitaries and guest speakers now begin to arrive and take their seats in the row in front of us. One of these dignitaries is Dr. Patil, the medical director and our contact at the hospital (who we’ve learned is a big deal around here). She takes her seat, turns to Beth and I, and asks “Which one of you will be speaking?” And panic sets in ALL over again! Well, we CANNOT say no to her, so Beth and I pick up our boot straps and tag team a short speech. I was comfortable with an introduction and closing, while Beth, having been to nursing school, was going to fill in the middle.
The ceremony begins, the dignitaries are introduced and given flowers and bouquets, then WE are formally introduced and given another rose! It is a gift to welcomed honored guests, but we certainly don’t feel that special, yet we graciously accept and proceed with the ceremony. But this is not the end of the embarrassment! As Beth puts it, the ceremony is much like a Catholic wedding with not knowing when to sit or stand. Luckily we had a little help from stage right and we sort of figure out what we are suppose to be doing, sort of…
Throughout the entire ceremony Beth and I are running our “speech” through our heads, devising a plan for when we have to stand up in front of a ridiculously bright light, 100’s of people and a video camera, in our dusty, dirty scrubs to share our “words of wisdom” to the nursing students. Whatever happened to enjoying things from the back? The dignitaries and guest speakers all take their turn at the podium and with each one that finishes, we fear our turn is next. Finally everyone finishes and we realize that this is the closing of the ceremony and they did not call upon us! We are relieved. We certainly would not have minded, though a little notice and a shower first would have been nice! After the ceremony we are again escorted, this time for refreshments.
After we have had our refreshments we are summoned by the nursing students back to the auditorium for… more pictures! Some as a group, some with individuals and then one of all the nursing students and Jeremy! Hahaha… they really think he’s something!
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It was a bit of a crazy day, we have sort of dubbed ourselves the American Spectacle at this point, jokingly of course, but sometimes not too far off from the truth. They treat us very well here, however, we are given little notice about when speeches are to occur! We are treated as special guests at every event, lecture or meeting we attend. We are honored that they seem to think so highly of us, but we have a hard time thinking we are all that special. We’re just a few students that traveled half way around the world for a unique experience, to learn a little tropical medicine and a new culture, that’s all….
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It was a bit of a crazy day, we have sort of dubbed ourselves the American Spectacle at this point, jokingly of course, but sometimes not too far off from the truth. They treat us very well here, however, we are given little notice about when speeches are to occur! We are treated as special guests at every event, lecture or meeting we attend. We are honored that they seem to think so highly of us, but we have a hard time thinking we are all that special. We’re just a few students that traveled half way around the world for a unique experience, to learn a little tropical medicine and a new culture, that’s all….
Thank you to Beth for her commentary included in today’s blog!!!
Thanks for reading,
Becky
Becky
My favorite part:
ReplyDeleteThere is one with red hair and skin so white I can barely look at it
LOVE!!!