2018 Dental Mission Trip

 February 15 - 25, 2018, Dr. Chris Hansen, Dr. Paul Feit and several other dental assistants traveled to Haiti to provide dental services in a temporary clinic set up at the agricultural center.  In Haiti, there is only one dentist for 100,000 people and those in the remote areas do not have access to dental care.  During their visit, the group saw 312 patients, performed over 500 extractions and approximately 50 fillings.  Because this was the first clinic provided in the area their goal was to take care of the patients that had the greatest pain from a complete lack of dental care.  Additionally, all the patients that were seen, received tooth brushes, tooth paste and instructions on how to care for their teeth.  

As many as 60 people waiting for medical care in the waiting area.

A young boy getting dental work done.

Pouring the second story floor for the dormitory.  

The completed water cistern in March 2018.  Behind the cistern is the 50 foot diameter circular classroom that was completed in 2017.

2018 Doctor and Nursing Student Mission

In February, 2018, seven students and two faculty from Silver Lake College and Dr. Jeff Schroeder all of Manitowoc, WI spent seven days providing care to the people of Haiti.  The medical team saw approximately 550 patients at Sr. Maria's agricultural center which doubled as a health clinic for the week.  They referred 40 patients to an eye doctor and five patients to the next dental clinic.  In addition, approximately 200 persons attended nurses teaching projects or received medical care and over the counter meds in the mountainous villages.  

Mission nurses traveling by dump truck to the clinic.

2018 Projects Mission Trips

In January and February 2018, two groups of volunteers spent two weeks in Haiti working on various projects.  

Dr. Hansen, his assistant and the Haitian translator, working with a young patient.

If you are interested in getting involved in any of these projects, click below:

Thank you to the many donors who contributed items for this container project.  In addition to those who provided items to fill the container, many supporters of the project provided cash donations to cover shipping costs.

Some mission nurses traveled to more remote areas to provide care. Brianna Neuser (center) is head of the nursing department at Silver Lake College.

Dental equipment and supplies ready for a days patients.  The dental team worked from 8 am to as late as 7 pm each day.

A group of children greet the volunteers as we check out the school project in Cara Bonita.

Dr. Jeff Schroeder (right) and Stephenson (left) the interpreter.

Mission nurses and volunteers packaging over the counter meds for the following day's patients.

People who have been screened and are waiting to see one of the dentists.

Work continues on the dormitory kitchen and dining area at the agricultural center in Haiti.  These facilities will allow Sr. Maria to bring people from remote areas in to learn sustainable agriculture.

The volunteers got to experience picking and sorting peppers that were harvested at the agricultural center in Haiti.  Eight land owners from the neighboring area were taught planting, irrigating, controlling pests and weeds, harvesting, and marketing of the peppers.

A generator and air compressor provide the power and air needs for the dental clinic.  Not shown, a shop vac is used to provide suction.

People waiting early in the morning for the clinic to open.

Some visitors to the clinic, arrive without shoes.

In February 2018, several days were spent finishing the footings and tieing rebar for a new 12,000 gallon water cistern at the Agricultural Center in Haiti.

2018 Container Project

The contents of this year's container included a 2-row potato planter, 310 school desks, over 250 stackable chairs, 3 pallets of dental equipment, several pallets of medical equipment, boxes of new and used hand and power tools, school supplies and hundreds of pounds of bar soap, tooth paste and tooth brushes.  The contents of this years container weighed 39,200 pounds.  The container left Newton, WI on December 6th and arrived in Santa Domingo, D.R. on December 31st.  

The dental team brought along shoes and gave them to many of the needy who arrived without.

Nursing student weighing and examining a small child.

First day of the dental clinic.  Getting ready to see patients.

Sister Maria Marciano -

Champion for the Poor

One of the three solar food driers donated by St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Newton, WI.  Used to preserve fruits and vegatables grown.