Faculty and students from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry (LLUSD) recently went on two significant mission trips to Havana, Cuba. Their participation in an unprecedented dental health fair was a powerful demonstration of the school’s commitment to service—a value that unites us all.
The school was honored to receive this invitation, which has allowed LLUSD to support local dental professionals and set up dental clinics in areas that lack access to dental care.
The first trip, a four-day clinic, was held at Seminario Teológico Adventista de Cuba (SETAC) Theological Seminary and the Public Health Clinic in the Boyeros Municipality. This initiative aimed to provide dental care to the people of Cuba while fostering a strong relationship with the Cuban public
health officers.
The first
summer trip to Cuba Team group photo. Top row, left to right: Alexander
Castillo, D.D.S., Class of 2024; Sanghyuk Lee; Joshua Jeon; Gary Kerstetter,
D.D.S., Class of 1983; Richard Kwon.
Middle row,
left to right: Daniel Bazan, SIMS Trip Leader; Yumin Lee; Da Eun Jung; Daniel
Diaz, D.D.S., Class of 2024; Pastor Herber Paneque, Secretary of Cuban Union
SDA Church.
Bottom row,
left to right: Sejin Seo, Class of 2003; Karla Gomez, B.S., Class of 2024
(Dental Hygiene); Cristina Feceu, B.S., Class of 2024 (Dental Hygiene); and
Orchidea Ferrer, D.D.S.
The second trip, a five-day clinic, extended the reach of the initiative by including a health fair on the last day, where students educated patients on good oral health care as part of a whole body health expo. The Office of Religious Affairs, in collaboration with public health officials from Cuba,
coordinated both trips, further underscoring the impactful partnership between the school and the Cuban public health sector.
The second summer trip to Cuba Team group photo. Top row, left to right: Andrew Robinson, Maziar Hafezi, Ashlee “Georgetta” Skinner, Jonathan Nguyen, Logan Mathie, Bernice Cabrera and Sunghyo Oh.
Bottom row, left to right: Jessica Pena; Nathan Nguyen; Mercy Dominguez; Ashley Perdomo; Caroline Grainger; Tara Khamo, D.D.S., Class of 2016; and Gary Kerstetter, D.D.S., Class of 1983.
Supplies were challenging to get in Cuba, so the school brought its own resources. Each student and faculty member were given a box of supplies to pack as their additional luggage for the trip. Both trips successfully distributed the supplies and got them to their destination.
The team was well received, and patients were eager to see them. People lined up early and were willing to wait for an exam. Students and faculty were struck by how determined and strong the people are in Cuba. No obstacle was too significant; they would simply adapt and overcome whatever challenges they met.
The students treated patients from all walks of life and were greeted with nothing but joy and gratefulness. It was a very inspiring and humbling experience for all those involved.
LLUSD students and Cuban dental professionals provided a variety of services, including cleanings, fillings, extractions and oral hygiene instruction. During the busy trips, the students treated 50-60 patients each day, which added up to around 300-500 patients per trip. The students’
professionalism and hard work impressed their Cuban dental counterparts.
The students felt the trips were worthwhile for several reasons. First, and perhaps most importantly, they had the opportunity to fulfill a calling to serve and give back in a meaningful way. Secondly, they treated challenging cases and encountered situations they may not have had the opportunity to
experience in the United States. Those clinical experiences helped the students learn to problem solve in a different way. Because of this, many of the students believe both trips were beneficial to their education and wish more of their peers could share a similar experience.
Courtesy of Loma Linda
University School of Dentistry
Published on
September 11, 2024