Nepal [ photos ]
In 1987, my friends Woody and Penny Strong had already been to Nepal several times and were able to help me make the necessary contacts and arrangements for our clinics. But I was the only dentist, with a single assistant, and could only do examinations and extractions. I was disheartened that, too often, the extractions were of permanent teeth that could have been filled.

The next year, another dentist joined me and I was able to borrow a portable dental unit from the Christian Dental Society. Now we were able to do fillings and save teeth that otherwise would have become painful or require extraction. But the unit was in three pieces - the unit, air tank and compressor – and the arrangement was cumbersome.

Through donations from patients and friends, I was able to purchase two portable dental units that were self-contained in a small metal box. Now, two dentists could really produce a significant amount of dentistry. This worked so well that I purchased another unit. Then, another dentist and a couple of lay people (my patients) wanted to go along. So we became eight: three dentists and five helpers. And, we continued to grow. The largest group traveling to Nepal totaled 18.

South Asia
I then started getting requests, through acquaintances, to go to other places to provide dental care. And so, we expanded and have gone to Sikkim [ photos ], Darjeeling, India and Bhutan [ photos ]. As the political situation changed in Nepal following 9/11, I decided it made sense to look for other places.

Samoa [ photos ]
By this time, our portable dental units had taken a beating and required extensive repairs. Again, from contributions, I purchased three Aseptico portable dental units and I now have a fourth one. They perform very well under the conditions which we work Our next trip took us to Independent Samoa working through their Rotary Club. One of the local Rotary Clubs has been very supportive of our outreach program and helped facilitate this.

Buenos Aires, Argentina [ photos ]
By 2005 a total of six dentists and ten helpers were able to venture into South America to work in Buenos Aires. This is the first time that our group of volunteers worked with a religious organization. It has always been, and will continue to be, a humanitarian group. This time we worked through the Nazarene Church and the experience was fantastic.