Dental Clinic Project Report – November 14, 2007

During our visit to the Los Toros Medical Clinic on October 27th we were shown a room that has been reserved for the Dental Clinic. The room has running water, good electrical service and an attached bathroom. It is about 12’ X 15’ and was cleaned and ready for use.

On November 5^th we met with the Dental Clinic Project Committee at Casa San Jose. They have done extensive research on procuring equipment for the dental clinic and have pricing from at least three different vendors. There list was extensive and inclusive perhaps missing just two items; a compressor and a generator.

Dr. Naury Perdomo suggested a raffle in Los Toros to buy two generators, one for the clinic and one for the winner of the raffle. She thought it would be supported by the community. Dr. Naury also commented that the Secretary of Health has promised a dentist to staff the Los Toros Dental Clinic, perhaps on a one year contract. The government would pay the salary; clients would have to pay a small fee to cover the cost of supplies used during their treatment. The clinic would be open three to four days a week.

Naury recommended an engineer in Santo Domingo that specializes in mechanical (non-electric) equipment and suggested we visit his office, however time did not permit. Instead we visited Naury’s office on November 6^th; she demonstrated her equipment as “the basics” and we took photographs with nomenclature in Spanish for identification. (These are now posted on our web site.) It was decided that we could look for the smaller equipment in the USA and bring it to the DR; larger equipment could be purchased in Santo Domingo. A possible total budget for all equipment could be approximately US$7,500.00.

Naury suggested we buy used equipment wherever possible and update it once the Dental Clinic is established. She noted that x-ray equipment is essential; however the developing of x-ray film could be accomplished by hand using small tanks as shown in one of the photographs.

It was determined that the clinic could be operational as early as February or March of 2008. Our current plan of action is for the committee in the DR to complete an inventory and cost of needed equipment and check availability and delivery time. The committee in the USA needs to identify all of the items in the photos, translate into English and get the cost for transportable items or seek contributions of used equipment. Once we identify the items (they must fit into a suitcase) we can start to seek contributions of used equipment or get the cost from US vendors.

Since our committee members at away at college Don Kabara will help to coordinate these efforts.

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