By School of Dentistry - August 5, 2010

Since 1998, when the National Association of Seventh-day Adventist Dentists (NASDAD) board voted a five-year endowment of $50,000 to support an LLU School of Dentistry service learning program, service learning has become a significant part of the curriculum for dental and dental hygiene students and students in the International Dentist Program.

While the preponderance of service learning takes place within the continental United States, overseas service learning trips provide an opportunity to demonstrate the School’s motto—Service Is Our Calling—in a variety of unique settings.

The numbers for the past year (June 2009 – May 2010) certainly are inspiring: 69 students, 15 faculty, 11 trips, 10 countries, 4,131 patients and 6,148 procedures.

The following table specifies the Service Learning trips for the recent year:

 

Country
Number of
Students
Number of
Faculty
Number of
Patients
Number of
Procedures
Nicaragua
15 
4
760
950
Philippines
8
2
580
766
Peru
9
3
564
1,775  
Grenada
3
1
571
646
St. Vincent
4
0
178
156
Bangladesh
11
2
1,000  
900
Mexico
5
1
  30
109
Honduras
8
3
238
688
Brazil
6
1
210
158
TOTALS
69 
17  
4,131  
6,148