Outreach360 Background:Outreach360 is an American non-profit organization that has been working in the northwest part of the Dominican Republic since 1994. Over 12,000 international volunteers have joined us since 1994, with the majority of our focus being on education. Originally focused solely on the local orphanages, thanks to volunteer growth the focus has expanded to include additional needs in the community. One area of true need is dental health education and treatment. Slide Show
2012 Dental Health Corps Objectives:
- Dental professionals will provide needed medical care to the poor Dominican communities near the Haiti border through temporary rural clinics.
- Dental students and dental assistant students (those in a program resulting in dental certification or licensing upon completion) will assist in those clinics, as well as providing dental health education.
Planned 2012 Dental Clinics:
- January 7-14
Registration Time Table:
September 1st, 2011: A minimum of four dental professionals (dentists/hygienists) need to be registered for each week by September 1st; at least two being dentists.Without four dental professionals scheduled each week, the clinic will not be scheduled. Please do not purchase airline tickets prior to receiving clinic confirmation from Outreach360 after September 1st. If the clinic is not scheduled, registration deposits will be returned.
October 1st, 2011: All clinic volunteers need to be registered by October 1st, 2011. See "Eligible Volunteers" below.
Eligible Volunteers:
Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants are needed. Immediate family members of dental professionals are eligible to participate in the clinics. Students enrolled in a degree program leading to a certification (dental school, dental hygiene school, etc) are invited to participate. Student groups will need to have a faculty member accompany the group to participate in the clinic. Pre-dental students will be teaching dental health education classes, but not as part of the clinic.
Location:
We will be working in the northwest part of the Dominican Republic. Our focus will be on the poorest communities in the area, including the "batey communities", banana worker communities with limited access to dental care.
We will be working in the northwest part of the Dominican Republic. Our focus will be on the poorest communities in the area, including the "batey communities", banana worker communities with limited access to dental care.
The weekly itinerary consists of:
- Saturday: Travel
- Sunday: Orientation, Week Prep, Set-up
- Monday - Thursday: Clinic days
- Friday: Cultural Morning Activity, Buffet Lunch, Beach Afternoon Swim
- Saturday: Travel home
Clinic Overview:
We plan that each clinic will include both dentist and dental hygienist stations. Dentists will be focused on extractions and fillings; hygienists will be focused on cleaning. We are looking for dentists, dental assistants, and dental hygienists to all be involved, as well as dental school students. Pre-dental students will be providing dental health education, but not as part of the clinic.
Equipment:
Each dentist and dental hygienist will have access to a high-end Aseptico portable dental station providing air and water. If you already have access to a portable dental unit that you could bring with, please let us know.
Instruments:
We plan that each dentist and hygienist will bring their own instruments. If you have extra instruments to donate, please let us know. If you are not able to bring your own instruments, please let us know. We plan that instruments will be cold sterilized.
Supplies:
We plan that each dentist and hygienist will bring supplies sufficient for four days of clinic. Ideally, the supplies will be donated by suppliers, or purchased by funds raised above the minimum program donation. Outreach360 will not reimburse volunteers for supplies purchased.
Living Facilities:
We will be living in simple but comfortable facilities at the orphanage or the Outreach360 English Institute. Facilities can be compared to summer camp facilities; bunk beds, good toilets/showers, buffet dining.
Program Donation:
Clinic volunteers will be responsible for the standard minimum program donation described in the Volunteer Guide. All scholarships will apply to clinic volunteers.
Flight Arrangements:
Each volunteer is responsible for booking their own airline ticket. We fly into the Santiago (STI) airport. Your program fee includes transportation from and to the airport for all flights arriving and departing on Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. If you arrive or depart outside of these times, there is an additional ground transportation charge. Delta, Continental, American, and JetBlue all fly into Santiago. Airfare is also tax deductible for U.S. taxpayers.
Fund-Raising:
If you are involved with a fund-raising organization or foundation, we do have a funding opportunity/need to purchase the portable dental units, portable dental chairs, dental instruments, etc. Please let us know if you would like additional information.
Miscellaneous Notes:
Although the orphanage where you may be staying is a Christian orphanage, there is no religious focus to this trip. We do have a no alcohol, no tobacco policy.
Signing Up:
Please sign up for the trip here.
Questions:
Please either e-mail us, or call us at 602-375-2900.
Each dentist and dental hygienist will have access to a high-end Aseptico portable dental station providing air and water. If you already have access to a portable dental unit that you could bring with, please let us know.
Instruments:
We plan that each dentist and hygienist will bring their own instruments. If you have extra instruments to donate, please let us know. If you are not able to bring your own instruments, please let us know. We plan that instruments will be cold sterilized.
Supplies:
We plan that each dentist and hygienist will bring supplies sufficient for four days of clinic. Ideally, the supplies will be donated by suppliers, or purchased by funds raised above the minimum program donation. Outreach360 will not reimburse volunteers for supplies purchased.
Living Facilities:
We will be living in simple but comfortable facilities at the orphanage or the Outreach360 English Institute. Facilities can be compared to summer camp facilities; bunk beds, good toilets/showers, buffet dining.
Program Donation:
Clinic volunteers will be responsible for the standard minimum program donation described in the Volunteer Guide. All scholarships will apply to clinic volunteers.
Each volunteer is responsible for booking their own airline ticket. We fly into the Santiago (STI) airport. Your program fee includes transportation from and to the airport for all flights arriving and departing on Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. If you arrive or depart outside of these times, there is an additional ground transportation charge. Delta, Continental, American, and JetBlue all fly into Santiago. Airfare is also tax deductible for U.S. taxpayers.
Fund-Raising:
If you are involved with a fund-raising organization or foundation, we do have a funding opportunity/need to purchase the portable dental units, portable dental chairs, dental instruments, etc. Please let us know if you would like additional information.
Miscellaneous Notes:
Although the orphanage where you may be staying is a Christian orphanage, there is no religious focus to this trip. We do have a no alcohol, no tobacco policy.
Signing Up:
Please sign up for the trip here.
Questions:
Please either e-mail us, or call us at 602-375-2900.
Why Outreach360?
Experienced: Over 12,000 volunteers have joined Outreach360 in the Dominican Republic since 1994.
You will be living in Outreach360 run facilities in simple yet adequate accommodations. Good running water toilets and showers are provided, as are excellent meals prepared by Outreach360 trained cooks. Ground transportation is also provided between the airport and your location. We manage the logistics, so that you team leader can focus on the team, and you can focus on making a difference!
Professional: Full-time American and Canadian staff live on site and will lead your program experience.
Safe: Your safety and health is our number one priority. The Dominican Republic is very friendly and safe. We have never had an issue of a volunteer's personal safety being threatened. Common sense safety guidelines are in place to keep you safe and only bottled water is used in cooking while showers are chlorinated. Top rated travelers insurance is included and we are one of the few international service-learning organizations to provide a $1,000,000 Foreign Global Liability Insurance. Good clinics are located nearby our facilities.
Fund-raising:
Upon signing up for an Outreach360 volunteer trip, each person receives an on-line personal fund-raising page. Typically volunteers are able to raise 100% of their program donation by using this page and the "Spread the Word" function to send emails to friends and families which directs them to the fund-raising page where secure donations can be made.
Throughout the week you will be experience the culture of the country you are working first-hand, this includes at the facility you are staying and at your work locations. At the end of each volunteer experience, we design an experience for you to enjoy the location you are working. This may include a special cultural event in the morning (ie. visit to the famous Haitian/Dominican market on the border featured on the Discovery channel and in New York Times), followed by an authentic meal at a local restaurant, while the afternoon is reserved for leisure time, possibly at a local beach.
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