About 1,000 children have benefited from the weeklong dental mission conducted last month by the city government of Taguig in partnership with the US-based Volunteers from Kids International Dental Services.
KIDS is a non-profit, volunteer organization in the United States founded in 2009 by Dr. Robert Renner, a retired prosthodontist and Professor Emeritus at the University of New York in Stony Brook.
It is an organization of volunteer dentists, students, and various professionals working toward improving the oral health of impoverished children worldwide.
This is the eighth KIDS dental mission in the Philippines, as part of its aim to promote dental health in areas of the world where access to quality dental care is difficult. KIDS treats around 1,000 patients in the country every year.
Dr. Ignatius Gerodias, University of California professor and KIDS board member, said one of the organization’s goals is to come back each year to provide a consistent source of dental care to kids in need.
“When it comes to dental care, you need continuity and to be there consistently. Even with the kids who are part of the dental mission today, we’re not going to be able to treat all their needs in just one visit so you really need to come back over time before you start seeing positive change in the kids,” Gerodias explained.
Being Filipino himself, Gerodias also said they chose the Philippines as one of their beneficiary countries because he knows there is an urgent need for dental care here. They chose Taguig because it’s easier to travel to the city, and the local government has proved efficient in coordinating their missions.
The dental missions were held at the Ususan Elementary School in Barangay Ususan, R.P. Cruz Elementary School in Barangay New Lower Bicutan, C.P. Tinga Elementary School in Barangay Hagonoy, Capt. J. Cardones Elementary School in Barangay South Signal, Kapt. Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School in Barangay Pinagsama, and at Alay Pag-asa Christian Foundation in Mandaluyong City.
More than 200 kids a day were given free dental checkups, fluoride treatment, and tooth extraction. The children were also taught the importance and methods of proper dental care.
Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano expressed her gratitude to the KIDS team for the continuous effort of the organization to promote proper dental care to the disadvantaged children worldwide.
“Taguig is really blessed to be chosen as a beneficiary and be a part of KIDS’ vision in providing free dental services around the world,” the city mayor added.
One of the goals of KIDS is to also inspire young dentists to make dental missions part of their service to the community. KIDS also sends missions to Cambodia, Guatemala and Cabo Verde every year to provide quality pro-bono dental care to indigent children of these developing countries.