Academy of LDS Dentists

TRIP TO CHINA:  This project has been going now for three years and has stayed the same except for improvements in efficiency.  Objectives are to provide 1) hands-on dental treatment to 500-600 patients (orphans and the elderly doing restorative, endo, oral surgery, and oral hygiene), 2) teach 30+ local dentists new techniques chairside and with PowerPoint, 3) treat as many cleft lip/palate patients as possible by our accompanying plastic surgeon/anesthetist, 4) go to schools (grades 5-12) to teach oral hygiene, and 5) to interact with local people in public venues to teach oral hygiene and stress the importance of proper dental care.  Our activities are often covered by the local news media. Usually approximately 22 people go including about 12 dentists, 3 hygienists, 1 plastic surgeon, 1 anesthetist (CRNA), dental assistants, teachers, and other support personnel.  Current leaders are Dr. Karl Koerner and Dr. Adam Hodges (both speak Chinese).  A knowledge of Mandarin Chinese is preferred but not required. This year seven speak Mandarin and two speak Cantonese.  The cost for the upcoming trip is $1950 per person. We solicit grants, donations, supplies, and equipment to help offset expenses.  Treatment is done in nearly modern dental/medical facilities. The project is not sponsored by the Academy of LDS Dentists but is done under its auspices and with its encouragement. For political reasons, we cannot use the name of the LDS Church while in China.