southridge guatemala

Providing Humanitarian Dental Aid to Guatemala City

At Southridge Pediatric Dentistry, while we pride ourselves on the absolute highest-quality pediatric dental services in Utah – from pediatric dental cleaning services and basic checkups to dental x-rays and emergency dental services when needed – we also take pride in our contributions to both our local community and others. Lending a helping hand to those in need is very important to us, especially in a medical field like dental care where so many do not have the proper coverage or treatment on a regular basis.

A recent example of these efforts came when members of our dental team joined the Hirsche Smiles Foundation for a humanitarian outing in Guatemala City to offer our services and assistance to many in the city, particularly children, who required dental care. Today’s blog will detail our trip and some of the highlights.

Our Team and Trip Details

For the trip, which took place last month in January, we determined that Dr. Farnsworth would head down to Guatemala City along with Jill, our lead assistant in our Tooele dental office. In addition to them, the group that made the trek also included three plastic surgeons, two residents, three anesthesiologists and various staff members associated with their practices – this was a wide-ranging humanitarian trip, not one reserved only for dental care.

The group arrived in Guatemala City on Sunday, Jan. 18. Upon arrival, they relocated to Moore Pediatric Surgery Center, where they were able to set up and immediately begin dental screenings for children in need.

Services Provided

During our stay in Guatemala City, Dr. Farnsworth and the team were able to provide numerous valuable dental services to locals in coordination with other medical staff already present, including pharmacists, aides, pediatricians and, of course, translators to simplify the language barrier. The services provided ranged from medical areas like cleft and ear repairs to sedations for larger surgeries, during which the dental team would also attend to various dental needs.

While days were long – running from 7:30am to 7:30pm with just a short lunch break – the results were extremely rewarding. One individual who played a huge role in the trip’s success was Alejandra, a trustworthy medical translator who allowed the process of fillings, extractions, crowns, sealants and other cases to move along efficiently.

Successful Treatments

Throughout the course of the visit, our team was part of hundreds of positive dental and other treatments for children in the city. They created bonds with children and staff alike, particularly one little girl who has connected with the surgical team over several recent years and waits to see them in her city each year. Dr. Farnsworth and Jill cannot wait to return for another trip with the Hirsche Smiles Foundation in the near future to make more such connections and offer their services to the kind people of Guatemala City.

For more on our humanitarian efforts both locally and abroad, or to learn about any of our children’s dental services, speak to the staff at Southridge Pediatric Dentistry today.