Hello!
My name is Amy Hong and this is my experience in Quito, Ecuador.
To begin, let's go over a little about myself. I am a senior Biology major at the University of Maryland, and I am pursuing a career as a Pediatric Dentist. As my last semester as an undergrad is nearing, I was looking for an experience that was out of my element. After attending an informational meeting for Child Health Family International's Global Health programs, I was hooked on their Dentistry program. I chose CFHI because they are a non-profit. I liked knowing that the fee goes towards supporting workers of the local health clinics. They also provide students with intensive Spanish classes, which was exactly what I needed. Though I am Peruvian, I have never been to South America. All my Spanish language skills has come from my mother. Once I started Elementary School my Spanish language was slowly being forgotten because I was surrounded by friends that only spoke English. After the informational meeting, I quickly applied to go to the two-week January program. I was so excited to learn that I was accepted into the CFHI Dentistry and Oral Health program in Quito, Ecuador. It was perfect for gaining dental experience, while giving back to a developing community by providing healthcare to locals.
I've worked as a dental assistant for two summers. I understand that educating patients is the best way to prevent oral diseases. I knew that having the opportunity to work with patients in an undeserved country would give me a better insight in the importance of oral health. This would be an experience worthwhile, and is one I could not get in the U.S.
After hearing of my acceptance into the program, I was struck with how I would finance this program. CFHI believes that financial barriers should not be the reason for not participating in a global health program. They have fundraising options and the CFHI Scholarship. I applied and received the CFHI scholarship! They covered $500 of my program fee. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and excited to see whats to come. Thank you CFHI!
To begin, let's go over a little about myself. I am a senior Biology major at the University of Maryland, and I am pursuing a career as a Pediatric Dentist. As my last semester as an undergrad is nearing, I was looking for an experience that was out of my element. After attending an informational meeting for Child Health Family International's Global Health programs, I was hooked on their Dentistry program. I chose CFHI because they are a non-profit. I liked knowing that the fee goes towards supporting workers of the local health clinics. They also provide students with intensive Spanish classes, which was exactly what I needed. Though I am Peruvian, I have never been to South America. All my Spanish language skills has come from my mother. Once I started Elementary School my Spanish language was slowly being forgotten because I was surrounded by friends that only spoke English. After the informational meeting, I quickly applied to go to the two-week January program. I was so excited to learn that I was accepted into the CFHI Dentistry and Oral Health program in Quito, Ecuador. It was perfect for gaining dental experience, while giving back to a developing community by providing healthcare to locals.
I've worked as a dental assistant for two summers. I understand that educating patients is the best way to prevent oral diseases. I knew that having the opportunity to work with patients in an undeserved country would give me a better insight in the importance of oral health. This would be an experience worthwhile, and is one I could not get in the U.S.
After hearing of my acceptance into the program, I was struck with how I would finance this program. CFHI believes that financial barriers should not be the reason for not participating in a global health program. They have fundraising options and the CFHI Scholarship. I applied and received the CFHI scholarship! They covered $500 of my program fee. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and excited to see whats to come. Thank you CFHI!
Day 1. Quito, I Have Arrived
Well now I'm here, in Quito, and WOW what a beautiful city. Yes, the altitude difference has gotten to me, but it's worth the sights. The higher you go, the more beautiful it gets. I am staying with Rosita, a very welcoming, sweet, friendly, honest home stay mother. "We are family now", she states. There are a total of six students living with her, three girls and three guys. Can you say Real World, Quito? Everyone is getting along well and I love how diverse the group is. There are students from all over the U.S. with different backgrounds and goals.
Today we had orientation. There are two more students staying with another host family, so it is eight of us total in this months CFHI program. Three of us are in the Dental and Oral Health program. Our guide today was Juan Carlos, a very nice local. We rode the Trole and Metro to the clinics where we would all work. Tomorrow we are on our own, a scary thought. Riding those buses is an experience all on its own. You have four seconds to get in or out, if not the door will close, and NO there is no sensor. Today, all the buses were crowded so we stood for most of the ride. My arms were sore by the end of the day. Did I mention that a bus ride is only 25 cents? What a deal!
The dental clinic that I will be working in is in Old Town Quito. It is very colonial looking and a tourist hotspot. We were warned that this area had more thieves, so that we must be more aware of our surroundings. I kept my book bag at the front of my chest. We passed by the presidents house, a huge beautiful white mansion in the middle of town. My roommate, Sonia, and I are determined to meet him or at least snag a picture. I'll let you know if it actually happens.
My first dinner with my home stay was delicious. I only hope I can cook like this someday. We all pitched in to help set up the table and cook. We had minestrone soup, torta de tuna, rice, and sautéed veggies. We were only allowed to speak Spanish at the table, so it was very entertaining to observe all our different Spanish skills come out. I must say, we were pretty good for foreigners.
Tomorrow is my first day at the clinic! I have to be there by 8am, which means I must be out of the house by 7:30 am. Though I am only here for two weeks, I want to make the most out of it.
Today we had orientation. There are two more students staying with another host family, so it is eight of us total in this months CFHI program. Three of us are in the Dental and Oral Health program. Our guide today was Juan Carlos, a very nice local. We rode the Trole and Metro to the clinics where we would all work. Tomorrow we are on our own, a scary thought. Riding those buses is an experience all on its own. You have four seconds to get in or out, if not the door will close, and NO there is no sensor. Today, all the buses were crowded so we stood for most of the ride. My arms were sore by the end of the day. Did I mention that a bus ride is only 25 cents? What a deal!
The dental clinic that I will be working in is in Old Town Quito. It is very colonial looking and a tourist hotspot. We were warned that this area had more thieves, so that we must be more aware of our surroundings. I kept my book bag at the front of my chest. We passed by the presidents house, a huge beautiful white mansion in the middle of town. My roommate, Sonia, and I are determined to meet him or at least snag a picture. I'll let you know if it actually happens.
My first dinner with my home stay was delicious. I only hope I can cook like this someday. We all pitched in to help set up the table and cook. We had minestrone soup, torta de tuna, rice, and sautéed veggies. We were only allowed to speak Spanish at the table, so it was very entertaining to observe all our different Spanish skills come out. I must say, we were pretty good for foreigners.
Tomorrow is my first day at the clinic! I have to be there by 8am, which means I must be out of the house by 7:30 am. Though I am only here for two weeks, I want to make the most out of it.
Day 5. In the Odontologia (Dentistry) Clinic
I've started working at the dental clinic located in El Centro of Quito. I'm at the clinic by 8am and I am working closely with Doctora Herrera. She is so sweet!
The clinic I am volunteering is government own. It has more of a hospital feel, where each floor is dedicated to different areas of medicine. I am stationed at the second floor, the Odontologia level. There are many dentists that work here: a prosthodontist, maxillofacial surgeon, and a few general dentists. They start their day at 6am, good thing I don't have to be there that early, but end by 2pm. Afterwards another rotation of doctors are ready to work until 7pm. There are always many patients in the waiting room. Many of them come in without appointments, hoping to see a doctor. They can sit there for up to 2 hours at times. In Ecuador, all the dentists are very careful with conserving their materials. They are not wasteful, especially with gloves. I asked Dr. Herrera why? She replied that the government sends them as much as they believe the doctors need. Sometimes, it is not enough, but in a country that struggles financially they have to do the best what with what they receive. The office is small, where each doctor has their own chair. Dr. Herrera told me that they get paid by the government, so the dental treatment for the patients is free. Wish this was true for the U.S. Today, I observed Dr. Herrera perform a filling. Many of her patients have very deep cavities. This is because Ecuador is still a developing country, thus the older generations are not educated in oral health at a young age. I noticed that the younger patients we saw had better oral health. Dimitri, another student in the dental program, is working with a prosthodontist named Dr. Ruiz . I had the privilege of observing them today. One patient was receiving a new pair of dentures. The look on her face when she saw herself in the mirror was priceless. Her whole mood changed! I could tell how grateful she was for Dimitri and Dr. Ruiz. Tomorrow I am observing wisdom teeth extractions. I'm nervous about all the blood, but excited! |
Day 6. Up Close and Personal with a Maxillofacial Surgery
Today I got to observe and then assist wisdom teeth extractions! What an experience. Observing was difficult enough because of all the blood. I was surprised at the fact that the patients here are only numbed with anesthetics, and not put to sleep. They wrap a cloth bib around the patients eye, probably to hide the bloody procedure. Dr. Cano is the maxillofacial surgeon in the building. He is very good at what he does, which is why the procedures are so quick.
When he asked me to assist him, I was hesitant at first. Then I thought about how I would probably never get this opportunity again. It was actually an awesome experience! The picture on the left depicts exactly what I did, which was suction and squirt water out of a syringe. His actual assistant passed him all the tools. I've never seen this procedure. Talk about up close and personal. I was able to see the patients mandibular bone! For this patient Dr. Cano had to cut the tooth in half in order to pull it out. He then stitched up the hole left from removing the teeth and we were done. I would say it took about 30 minutes. The patient was up and ready to go within 5 minutes.
Tomorrow we head out for our first weekend trip to Banos! I've herd lots of good things. It's a four hour bus trip, but it will be worth it!
When he asked me to assist him, I was hesitant at first. Then I thought about how I would probably never get this opportunity again. It was actually an awesome experience! The picture on the left depicts exactly what I did, which was suction and squirt water out of a syringe. His actual assistant passed him all the tools. I've never seen this procedure. Talk about up close and personal. I was able to see the patients mandibular bone! For this patient Dr. Cano had to cut the tooth in half in order to pull it out. He then stitched up the hole left from removing the teeth and we were done. I would say it took about 30 minutes. The patient was up and ready to go within 5 minutes.
Tomorrow we head out for our first weekend trip to Banos! I've herd lots of good things. It's a four hour bus trip, but it will be worth it!
Day 9. Breathtakingly Beautiful Banos, Ecuador
I just returned from my weekend trip to Banos!
It was such a beautiful town. Small and in between the Andes. The fact that it was small is what made me like the town the most. Though I enjoy Quito, it is such a big city! In Banos, I was able to get to places by foot, where in Quito it would be by bus or taxi. We arrived in Banos at 8pm Friday night, so the first thing we did was find a hostel. The hostel was only $7 a night, EACH! All the girls stayed in one room and all the guys in another. We went out on our first night to a bar called Leprechaun. There were so many Argentinian's, I almost forgot I was in Ecuador. We all had a great time dancing and socializing. On Saturday, we paid $5 for a Chiva bus tour to all the waterfalls. The chiva was almost like a party bus with lots of lights and loud music. We made stops along the way for people to bungee jump and zip-line. Sonia zip-lined through the Andes! She looked so cool flying from one mountain peak to the next. Check out the pictures on the left for some great scenery I captured while on the bus. After the tour we attempted to visit the hot springs. Unfortunately, the line was extremely long, so instead I was able to capture a great panorama of Banos (photo below). Saturday night we took another Chiva tour bus to visit the volcano, which was inactive so we actually couldn't see it, but we did get to enjoy Ecuadorian apple cider and a comedy show. The last picture on the right is all of us minus Dimitri (he got a stomach virus) that went out that night. The chiva bus left us at a bar to enjoy the rest of our night. Sunday morning we all had brunch and headed home. Oh yeah, I didn't mention that the bus ticket to Banos was only $7, round trip! It's getting late here in Quito, I have clinic bright and early tomorrow morning. |
Day 14. So long, Quito!
Today, is my last day in Quito.
I am planning on taking the Aeroservicios bus to the airport. It's only $8 compared to the $30 taxi's charge to the airport! So if you're ever in Quito make sure you take the Aeroservicio. They run at every hour, 365 days a year.
Leaving Quito is bittersweet. I do miss home, but I know once I'm home I'll miss Quito even more than I missed home. Just thinking about it makes me miss Quito already. This experience has changed my life. I've met wonderful people and got the opportunity to shadow great doctors. My health education has improved because of them. I now understand the public health care system and how it not only affects patients, but the doctors as well. I've realized how hard they have to work in order to keep the community and government happy. They have to deal with constant patients waiting at their door, along with all the paper work that must be filed afterwards. Their job does not end at 2pm. I have a new appreciation for Dentists after living in Ecuador for two weeks. I believe that the Dentistry and Oral Health program has not only furthered my clinical skills but also allowed me to learn from a diverse set of students and professionals. My time in Quito, has strengthened my desire to become a Pediatric Dentist. The only thing I would change is my length of time in Ecuador. Two weeks gave me a taste of Ecuador. I would have loved to stay a month. I guess this gives me a reason to come back to venture more into the country. I've herd great things about Chone, Cuenca and Ambato.
I am planning on taking the Aeroservicios bus to the airport. It's only $8 compared to the $30 taxi's charge to the airport! So if you're ever in Quito make sure you take the Aeroservicio. They run at every hour, 365 days a year.
Leaving Quito is bittersweet. I do miss home, but I know once I'm home I'll miss Quito even more than I missed home. Just thinking about it makes me miss Quito already. This experience has changed my life. I've met wonderful people and got the opportunity to shadow great doctors. My health education has improved because of them. I now understand the public health care system and how it not only affects patients, but the doctors as well. I've realized how hard they have to work in order to keep the community and government happy. They have to deal with constant patients waiting at their door, along with all the paper work that must be filed afterwards. Their job does not end at 2pm. I have a new appreciation for Dentists after living in Ecuador for two weeks. I believe that the Dentistry and Oral Health program has not only furthered my clinical skills but also allowed me to learn from a diverse set of students and professionals. My time in Quito, has strengthened my desire to become a Pediatric Dentist. The only thing I would change is my length of time in Ecuador. Two weeks gave me a taste of Ecuador. I would have loved to stay a month. I guess this gives me a reason to come back to venture more into the country. I've herd great things about Chone, Cuenca and Ambato.
Reflection
So now I am back in Maryland. School has started and weather is more bipolar than ever. We just got over a winter storm, which has left me with a four day weekend. Looking back at my experience in Quito, there's nothing I would have changed. I've learned from the lows, and appreciated the highs. It takes working for an undeserved country, in order to understand global health disparities. Having the opportunity to work with the doctors has touched and inspired me to make a change.
I come from a Hispanic family, an undeserved community in the United States. My identity as a Hispanic woman has shaped my experience in Ecuador through observing and relating to the Ecuadorian oral health issues. In the United States due to their socio-economic background, there are many children that have not been educated in proper brushing techniques, which then results in poor oral health. I have specifically witnessed this health disparity through my position as Dental Assistant and globally in Ecuador. As a future Pediatric Dentist, I hope to become part of the solution in providing adequate education and resources to these families. The experience with the CFHI Dental program has given me insight on global health issues, which is necessary to understand in order to achieve my endeavor as a Pediatric Dentist. Perhaps one of the most surprising oral health issues was due to over fluoridated water. Fluoride is good for your teeth, but in moderation. The Quito people receive water through natural means, thus there is concern with over fluoridation. I noticed that many of the patients that came in had heavy calculus. When asking Dr. Herrera why this was, she told me it was because of poor brushing in combination with the water. I saw many patients moan in agony as they were getting their prophylaxis done. These moments impacted me most. No one should suffer from this condition. I believe that education would have been the best method of prevention in many of these cases. After each session, Dr. Herrera and I would explain to the patient the importance of brushing in order to prevent calculus build-up. We would then show the patients their freshly cleaned teeth, and their faces would light up. There was an immediate difference in their attitude, and I knew that they understood their role in taking care of their teeth.
Thank you CFHI for allowing me to be a part of this journey. I truly appreciate all I have gained from this experience. Thank you for placing me with such wonderful people. I have grown and learned so much from everyone in the program. I know I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.
I come from a Hispanic family, an undeserved community in the United States. My identity as a Hispanic woman has shaped my experience in Ecuador through observing and relating to the Ecuadorian oral health issues. In the United States due to their socio-economic background, there are many children that have not been educated in proper brushing techniques, which then results in poor oral health. I have specifically witnessed this health disparity through my position as Dental Assistant and globally in Ecuador. As a future Pediatric Dentist, I hope to become part of the solution in providing adequate education and resources to these families. The experience with the CFHI Dental program has given me insight on global health issues, which is necessary to understand in order to achieve my endeavor as a Pediatric Dentist. Perhaps one of the most surprising oral health issues was due to over fluoridated water. Fluoride is good for your teeth, but in moderation. The Quito people receive water through natural means, thus there is concern with over fluoridation. I noticed that many of the patients that came in had heavy calculus. When asking Dr. Herrera why this was, she told me it was because of poor brushing in combination with the water. I saw many patients moan in agony as they were getting their prophylaxis done. These moments impacted me most. No one should suffer from this condition. I believe that education would have been the best method of prevention in many of these cases. After each session, Dr. Herrera and I would explain to the patient the importance of brushing in order to prevent calculus build-up. We would then show the patients their freshly cleaned teeth, and their faces would light up. There was an immediate difference in their attitude, and I knew that they understood their role in taking care of their teeth.
Thank you CFHI for allowing me to be a part of this journey. I truly appreciate all I have gained from this experience. Thank you for placing me with such wonderful people. I have grown and learned so much from everyone in the program. I know I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.