In late March, HSDM students and faculty members embarked on a dental mission to Bocachica, Colombia. David Kim, DMSc ’05, assistant professor of oral medicine, infection, and immunity and director of the HSDM Predoctoral Program in Periodontology, led the group, which included Soo-Woo Kim, DMD ’08 and DMSc ’12, Mindy Gil, DMD ’11, and Jennifer Kim, DMD ’12.
Bocachica, meaning “Small Mouth,” is located on the Caribbean island of Tierra Bomba, about an hour from the bustling city of Cartagena. The majority of residents have no running water or stable electricity. Most families cannot afford to provide their children with basic nutrition or education, not to mention routine medical and dental care.
The Harvard team arrived on the island excited and nervous for the task ahead. They were welcomed by members of Proyecto Libertad, a satellite base of Youth With a Mission. A community development leader in Bocachica for the past 14 years, Proyecto Libertad’s projects include the construction of a community health clinic. Though unfinished and equipped with minimal resources, the clinic provided the dental students with what they needed to get to work. Working tirelessly through the heat, the students provided dental care to 122 patients. They worked alongside Erika Tovar, a dentist and operations director of Proyecto Libertad, to deliver oral hygiene instructions and fluoride treatment to 100 children.
Despite language and cultural barriers, the students felt genuinely welcomed by both the Proyecto Libertad staff and Bocachica residents, team members said. They returned with new appreciation for the conveniences of their daily lives, grateful for the chance to expand their horizons and to further their personal and spiritual growth. Team members say they are already looking forward to returning to Bocachica next year to continue their mission of oral health.
