Global Community Health Volunteers
International Dental Program:
This International Learning Dental Program in Centralamerica is uniquely designed for pre-dental and early-stage dental students from academic institutions across the U.S. and Canada.
Our program offers an unparalleled opportunity to acquire and solidify essential knowledge and skills through active, responsible participation in intensive Dental Health Outreach Campaigns.
The curriculum is built upon the core competencies of the ADEA (American Dental Education Association) for pre-dental experiences abroad. We guarantee:
- Robust Clinical Exposure: Significant observation of and exposure to a wide spectrum of dental procedures, always under strict professional supervision and ethical guidance.
- Professional Development: Focused skill-building in Interpersonal Communication, Ethical Reasoning, and Cultural Competence, which are crucial for success in the dental school application process.
- Humanism in Practice: Comprehensive training that merges scientific excellence with humanitarian care, delivering critical dental services to the most vulnerable populations in every coubtry we serve.
Participate in this internship to differentiate your application, expand your global vision of healthcare, and commit to high-impact, ethically-grounded dental practice.
Objetives
1. Contrast the Curriculum and Instruction Dental Schools of service sites as well as the functioning of health systems in every country we serve and in their country of origin.
2. Knowing the basic nomenclature in Spanish and English oral structures.
3. Identify the structures that make up the oral cavity (teeth, gums, bones, jaws, etc.) and major alterations.
4. Know the main pathogenic mechanisms, clinical and radiographic features of Dental Caries and its treatment.
5. Know the main pathogenic mechanisms, clinical and radiographic features of periodontal disease and its treatment.
6. Identify the major emergencies that may arise in clinical practice: clinical, radiographic and its treatment.
7. Explain the parts of Dental clinical history, its objectives and sequence in which the diagnostic process is performed.
8. Identify the main factors affecting the development of prognosis and treatment plan.
Dental Volunteers will:
- Perform dental exams/screenings for children and adults.
- Teach oral hygiene including diet, brushing, and flossing.
- Assist in manual cleanings and become independent with those procedures
- Assist the dentists in extractions and pain management procedures
- Assist the dentists in the cavity filling and pain management process
- Conduct Public Health screenings/Community Education
Clinic Set Up - This applies for each program
First Step
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
This location serves as our primary Patient Intake and Waiting Area. While we record patient arrivals sequentially, our commitment to ethical service requires clinical triage to guide the schedule. We ensure priority access for the most vulnerable: the elderly, expectant mothers, and individuals requiring immediate care. Patients here often demonstrate remarkable patience while awaiting their turn, reflecting the deep community need. To ensure continuity of care and effective communication, each patient will be courteously guided from this area to the appropriate treatment bay by a member of our skilled interpreter team.
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
This initial stage focuses on the essential skills of patient assessment and comprehensive history taking. Working closely with our skilled medical interpreters, students will conduct thorough patient interviews to understand the chief complaint, medical history, and social determinants of health.
Simultaneously, participants will master the vital practice of gathering accurate clinical metrics. This includes—but is not limited to—capturing and analyzing key vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and temperature), along with any other metrics relevant to the patient’s presenting condition. All gathered patient data must be meticulously documented on the provided intake forms, ensuring institutional standards for record-keeping and continuity of care are met.
Clinical Consultation and Physician Mentorship
Clinical Assessment and Patient History Acquisition
Clinical Consultation and Physician Mentorship
The Consultation Area is the critical stage for clinical mentorship and collaborative diagnosis.
Students will present the patient’s full history, clinical metrics, and their preliminary assessment—including a differential diagnosis and a proposed treatment strategy—to the supervising physician. The physician will then engage the student in a detailed discussion, exploring the case and diagnosis in depth, and may guide the student to ask the patient for further key information. This is a vital learning opportunity focused on clinical reasoning. Ultimately, the physician provides the official diagnosis, finalizes the definitive treatment plan, and authorizes all necessary medications, thereby ensuring the highest standard of patient safety and compliance with local regulations.
Private Examination and Differential Diagnosis
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
Clinical Consultation and Physician Mentorship
This space is designated as the Private Examination Room, reserved specifically for physical assessments that require patient privacy and a focused diagnostic environment. Students may be invited by the supervising physician to observe and assist with the examination. This is a crucial educational phase where the physician will verbally articulate their clinical findings and correlate them with the patient's history, walking the students (and the patient) through the process of solidifying the final differential diagnosis. This experience provides direct, mentored exposure to practical clinical skills and diagnostic correlation.
Pharmacy Dispensing and Patient Education
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
The Pharmacy serves as the final, crucial step in the care continuum. Students will retrieve and prepare the authorized medication based on the physician's official prescription.
This stage pivots on Patient Education and Medication Adherence. Working with the interpreter, students are responsible for providing clear and meticulous counseling to the patient. This essential education includes detailing the types of medications prescribed, correct dosage amounts, and precise instructions for usage. This direct communication ensures that the patient fully understands their treatment plan and maximizes the therapeutic benefit of the care provided.
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station
This designated area serves as a Spiritual Guidance and Holistic Wellness Station, recognizing that comprehensive care extends beyond the purely clinical.
Volunteers at this station offer a space for confidential conversation, spiritual guidance, and compassionate listening to patients and community members seeking support. This service is provided with the utmost respect for the patient’s individual beliefs and cultural background, aligning with a model of holistic care that addresses both physical distress and emotional well-being.
Crucially, the operation of this station is contingent upon the availability of pre-registered volunteers who specifically requested this service during the group coordination phase. This policy ensures strict adherence to the personal beliefs of every volunteer and maintains the secular nature of our core clinical mission.