Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Date: Flexible: Clinics are typically held throughout spring, summer, and fall.
Partner: Global Dental Relief
Cost: Project Cost: $2,275 (based on double occupancy); Clinic-Only Itinerary: $2,125 (based on double occupancy)
Estimated Airfare: $500 – $800
Medical Setting: Temporary clinic set up in a school or community center.
Difficulty: Comfortable accommodations and consistent access to AC, hot water, internet connection, variety of good food, etc. The hot climate can be difficult for some volunteers.
Accommodations: Hotel accommodation in Akumal.
Cultural Experience: Volunteers enjoy daily cultural immersion.
About Global Dental Relief:
Global Dental Relief’s mission is to bring free dental care to children around the globe, in Nepal, Guatemala, Mexico, Kenya, and Cambodia. Teams of volunteer dentists, hygienists, assistants and general volunteers deliver treatment and preventive care in dental clinics that serve children in schools and remote villages. Each child receives an exam, all necessary dental care, oral health instruction, a fluoride treatment and a new toothbrush. Once dental health is restored, children return to the clinic every two years to ensure a childhood of healthy smiles.
Global Dental Relief programs extend this reach by delivering toothbrushes and oral health education in schools between clinics and by providing critical nutrition to children in high-need situations.
Why Dental Care for Kids?
Many children globally live without access to dental care. Small cavities grow into serious decay and infection. Children in pain are unable to sleep, eat properly or pay attention in school. GDR volunteers restore children to bright smiles and an ability to thrive.
About the Medical Setting:
Working in partnership with local staff, volunteers work in a community room or classroom converted into a temporary dental clinic. Children aged 6-18 are brought in class by class from surrounding schools. Volunteers work in the clinic for six days, performing exams, amalgam and composite restorations, and extractions as needed. Forming 6 dental stations, clinicians work alongside an assistant who carries out normal chairside duties, including charting as well as instrument and suction support. Some assistants may be highly trained, and some may be relatively new to the role.
Global Dental Relief provides portable dental units and all the instruments and supplies necessary to perform restorations, extractions, sealants and preventive care. This includes scrubs and disposable items like gloves, masks, gauze, etc.
We treat primary teeth only in cases of abscess by doing an extraction. We do not fill primary teeth, instead devoting our limited time and resources to saving permanent teeth. Generally, global dental volunteers make a treatment plan for two quadrants and do 20-30 minutes of work per child. Children can return for a second or third visit to finish their treatment. The clinic leader is there to guide and support you and answer any questions you might have.
There is no X-ray in the clinic. If an X-ray is required to complete treatment, the child can be sent to a nearby hospital. Availability of this option varies depending on location.
Program Includes:
- 3-4-star accommodation in a condo/hotel in Mexico
- Two meals a day while working in the clinic and breakfast only on sightseeing days
- Translation and support from local staff
- All transportation within Mexico including airport transfers
- Sightseeing as listed in the project itinerary
- Celebratory farewell dinner
- Signature GDR T-shirt and water bottle
- Return Volunteer Discount on all future projects
- Two designated trip leaders
- A volunteer coordinator in the GDR office to assist and prepare you for the trip
About the Country:
The Yucatan coast is home to many families that have moved from further inland to find work in the tourism or fishing industries. Outside of large cities, dental care is scarce due to limited healthcare resources, fewer professionals, and lack of transportation to urban centers.
Volunteers traveling to Mexico enjoy warm hospitality, delicious seafood and other local fare, and a deep cultural heritage that includes indigenous traditions and regional diversity. Mexico’s landscapes vary from stunning beaches along the gulf to lush jungles of the interior. Exotic animals such as monkeys, lizards, agouti, and jaguars are often a highlight for travelers.
Volunteering in Mexico offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact in the lives of people who call this beautiful destination home.