Dental Report: Antigua, Guatemala 2022

After a two-year absence the dental component of Operation Walk Canada, Antigua Guatemala returned with some significant changes.

Along with a second dentist and second dental assistant we were offered the opportunity to complete several cases in the newly constructed Operating Room area.

This year our team managed to see 66 children from age 9 months to 16 years. We completed: 

• Examinations: 66

• Radiographs: 30

• Dental prophylaxis (Cleanings): 31

• Fluoride treatments: 31Sealants: 15

• Profound dental scaling: 4

• Silver Diamond Fluoride applications: 23

• Restorations: 35

• Stainless Steel crowns: 28

• Extractions: 53

• Oral Hygiene instruction: 23 

The opportunity, this year, to treat 4 children in an operating room setting was a first for the dental component of Operation Walk Canada in Antigua.  Our hope is that this can be expanded to serve the most profoundly affected children, who are not able to be treated successfully in a simple dental clinic environment. 

One of the more touching elements this year (and a first for us) was screening babies and young children who have been admitted to the hospital feeding/ nutrition ward. These dramatically underweight, malnourished little souls received incredible care from the nursing staff but in some cases showed signs of early childhood dental disease which needed to be followed up. This follow-up was facilitated by making appropriate recommendations to the hospital dentist. Examples included a three-year-old weighing 10 pounds and a severely disabled 6 you old little girl, who weighed 22 pounds. Sadly, many of these children also had significant concurrent disabilities, added to their life challenges. 

I came away this year feeling we had accomplished something special with our new innovations and yet realized there is so much more that can and needs to be done to look after these very unfortunate and fragile children.

~Dr. Olaf Plotzke, Paediatric Dentist