Hiatus over!

It feels great to be back! The afternoon schedule was comprised of one composite filling, three extractions, and a couple of try-ins, where the patient tries on a wax denture to make sure everything fits right before the final acrylic denture is made. I assisted on one of the extractions. On a previous visit, the young lady was told that she needed all of her teeth extracted because there was too much decay. All of her teeth were rotted and cracked, some even down to the gum line. I could only imagine how much pain she was in and how she was able to eat. The mouth is divided into quadrants, and we began on the lower right side of her mouth. We extracted a total of eight teeth, but that was only the beginning of the procedure. In order to be fitted for dentures, the bone underneath the gums has to be completely smoothed down once the teeth are out. If there are little bumps and ridges after the gum heals, the dentures won't be able to fit properly, and the suction won't be there to hold them in place. This procedure to smooth the bone down is called an alveoloplasty. The dentist cut open the patient's gum using a surgical blade to reveal the bone, where she then drilled to remove any sharp points. Afterward, the gums were stitched back together for healing. In her upcoming visits, she will need to basically repeat today's procedure for the rest of her three quadrants - extraction followed by alveoloplasty. Needless to say, alveoloplasties are bloody.

One of the best events that happens at the dental clinic is when patients finally receive their new teeth. First of all, here's just a quick summary of what patients go through when they are admitted into HHH's dental program. In their first visit, X-rays are taken of their teeth, and the dentist lays out a plan for fixing their teeth. Any teeth that cannot be saved are extracted first, followed by any fillings, then a deep cleaning, and ending with the actual denture process. The denture process takes place over four visits. The first visit is when impressions are made. These impressions are sent to a lab, where they are turned to a wax model. The second visit is a bite registration, where the dentist records where the patient's bite is on the wax. The third visit is called the wax try-in, where the wax now contains the teeth that will be used in the final dentures. If the dentist sees that everything is perfect, the wax models are sent to the lab, where the acrylic dentures are made. In the last visit, the patients receive their new dentures. As you can see, it's a long and painful process from start to beginning. Oftentimes, patients go an extended time without teeth after they are extracted.

It's no surprise when patients finally receive their dentures that everyone in the clinic experiences a sense of happiness. When the patients look into a mirror with their new teeth for the very first time, they burst into a wide smile, a smile which they have suppressed for quite some time. That single smile is what we work for, and it's always worth celebrating. It's amazing what this smile can do for our patients, as it gives them a whole new outlook on life. Many of them remark on how they can interact with others now, and some even say that they can now confidently go to job interviews to better themselves. One of HHH's goals is to give dignity to the homeless through accessible healthcare, and this is one prime example of a goal achieved.

President's Day Special

HHH was closed on President's Day. Three weeks have passed since I last volunteered, and I'm starting to feel a void in my Mondays. As I mentioned earlier, I'll retell one of my most memorable experiences I've had here so far.

During my first month volunteering at HHH, I met a particular homeless black man. He was a bit nervous about getting his teeth extracted and asked me several questions regarding the procedure. When told that he had to stop smoking after the procedure to allow the gum to completely heal, he seemed reluctant but realized it was for the best. While waiting for the dentist to come over, he engaged me in conversation about education, mentioning that it was good for me to get my studies out of the way right now so I can enjoy the rest of life, contrary to what he did. He wanted to be an aircraft mechanic, but he unintentionally got his girlfriend pregnant. His whole lifestyle changed in order to accommodate the child, and he later fell onto financial troubles and drug addictions. When I told him I was just a volunteer, he seemed surprised and told me that it was good that I was going to school and still put aside time to help out. He admitted that he wanted to give back somehow when he had the chance to. He also said that I seemed like a religious person just from the way I carried myself. In the end, he advised me to keep focus on education and pursue my dreams.

Even though I have often heard these words from parents and educators, I was moved by his concern for me. It was a humbling feeling knowing that someone who had so much to worry about still made the effort to reach out and motivate others. This experience taught me that I could learn from patients, even those who are homeless and in search of a way out of their hardships. My overall perception of homeless people changed from this moment onward. I learned that the homeless are merely ordinary people who have fallen on hard times, but nonetheless possess a wealth of wisdom and character.

Dentist on Vacation

The dentist decided to go on vacation this week. I hope she's somewhere exotic and relaxing because she deserves the time off. When the dentist is absent, the clinic still opens, but all that's scheduled are post-ops. Basically after a surgical procedure, the patient comes in a week later for a post-op to check how the gum is healing, and to remove any stitches. Other than cleaning the clinic, volunteers aren't needed. Thus, I didn't come in today.

Next Monday happens to be President's Day, and HHH will be closed. Rather than have two posts in a row describing how I didn't volunteer that day, next week I'll write about one of my most memorable experiences at HHH. It's amazing how much you can learn from the homeless.

The Homeless

In August 2008, I began volunteering at Healthcare for the Homeless Houston (HHH). Prior to this, the only dental experience I had was shadowing an endodontist. He allowed me to stand in the corner while he performed root canals. From my viewpoint, all I saw was the dentist sticking his hand into the patient's mouth. Needless to say, these were the longest hours of my life - I stood awkwardly from afar without having the capability of seeing directly into the mouth, which is where dentistry happens. Obviously. What makes HHH stand out from other dental clinics is twofold: firstly, I actually get to assist the dentist with hands-on experience, and secondly, I work with the homeless.

Honestly, before HHH, I always had a condescending yet frightful view of the homeless. If I saw homeless people on the street corner, I would immediately assume that they were lazy and incompetent individuals who had no desire of bettering their lifestyle. I would pick up my walking pace and even circumnavigate them. Over time, my view of them began to change into understanding and compassion for them. In the following posts, I hope to shed a new light onto these underserved people.

I'm at the dental clinic every Monday from 1-5pm. We'll see what next week has in store for me.