Team 4 was the smallest team in 2023 after a member pulled out at the very last minute and proved too difficult to replace. The Australian contingent of Team 4 consisted of Dr Mary Tiutiunnik and Kayleen Alexopoulos, a very experienced dental assistant from Adelaide.
Mary had the additional administrative tasks which fall to the last team leader of the year, and also happened to be the first team leader in TL after the triennial changeover of the Carmelite leadership, so had ambassadorial duties as well. Hence, she arrived in TL one week early to meet with the Carmelite Sisters’ new regional superior, Sr Odette, and second-in-charge, Sr Joaninha, who previously managed the Maubara Clinic. She was fortunate to be able to touch base with our beloved founder, Sr Filomena, who now works in the TB clinic, and she also visited Sr Feliciana who the TLDP is currently sponsoring . Sr Feliciana seems to be enjoying her studies to be a dental therapist and is passing her course requirements.
Sr Joaninha, Dr Mary and Sr Odette
The following day, Mary and Ana Paula met with Father Bong, the head of the Jesuit Mission in Railaco. He graciously took time from his busy schedule to show them around his clinic and give them afternoon tea. They then travelled up the road a bit further to Gleno to visit Tino, our longest-standing mentee, who is a very skilled and popular government dental therapist. As always, Tino was extremely busy at his clinic, with a line of patients waiting to see him but unfortunately, there was no power. Despite his busy schedule, Tino often takes leave to travel with the TLDP teams. After a quick look around Tino’s clinic, Mary and Ana-Paula travelled to Kasait to look at the Jesuit clinic next to a large Jesuit school and college where Team 2 often works.
The extra time in Dili was well needed to hunt for missing clinic supplies, some of which had failed to arrive despite being ordered over two months in advance. Mario, our friend from Rotarians Helping TImor, proved invaluable as he rang friends to find the best place to purchase the large number of gloves needed for the trip and for the clinic until a team returns in 2024. Dili had no small gloves to be found, and hand sanitiser proved very difficult to source since many people in TL thought Covid no longer existed and that hand sanitiser was now unnecessary.
Kayleen, Mary and Mario take a break from The Search
On Sunday, the team travelled to the Maubara clinic, collecting Timorese team members Ana Tilman, Ana Martins and Tino on the way. After a brief stop to pack the vehicles, they were off to Maubisse with a welcome lunch break in Laulara at Ana Tilman’s home. After a night in Maubisse, Monday morning saw two more Timorese health workers join the team, Imelda from the Carmelite clinic in Maubisse and Ricardo, one of the dental therapists from Maubisse Hospital, both of whom had previously joined one of our teams several times.
The team then travelled another 2 hours to Hatobuilico at the base of TL’s highest mountain, Mt Ramelau. The countryside was extremely dry, with fires burning in all directions, which made for a very smoky and dusty experience. However, we were warmly welcomed by the parish priest and set up our clinic in the large church hall. The next four days saw a steady stream of patients who mostly attended with toothaches.
Hatobuilico
Friday and Saturday were spent back at the Carmelite clinic in Maubisse where the team mostly saw adult patients needing fillings, as the local hospital clinic had no working handpieces or any means of mixing filling materials. We met up with Dion the dental nurse from another NGO, Solar Smiles, who happened to be Imelda’s brother and a local from Maubisse. Dion kindly took Mary and Tino to their Aladdin’s cave of dental materials, where we were able to replace some of the stock that did not turn up in Darwin. Tino was also given a wonderful supply of materials for his government clinic in Gleno.
Even our smallest of teams become large with local health workers flocking to lend a hand
On Saturday evening, the team bid Kayleen goodbye at the Timor Plaza where she was staying for a well-deserved rest before flying back to Darwin on Sunday. Sunday saw Ana Paula, Ana Martins, Tino, and two young nursing students from Dili having treatment at the Maubara clinic. The two young nursing students required 3 extractions, and restorative work and one had quite poor periodontal health for a 22-year-old something rarely seen in Australia these days. As Monday had been declared a holiday for a second round of local government elections for some districts, Nico and Ana Tilman were required to travel to their homes in Baucau and Ailieu to vote so the rest of the team did a stocktake and general tidy-up of the clinic.
On Tuesday the team set up at the nearby Catholic primary and junior high school, St John Paul 11 at Paurubo. Mary noticed a general improvement in the school since 2018 with renovations and the building of new classrooms; however, about 60 % of the children had decayed teeth. Sadly, the team was unable to finish the treatment at this school and it was hoped that the children would come to the clinic or the school could be revisited early in 2024.
In total, Team 4 examined 396 patients; extracted 278 teeth, placed 172 fillings and did 76 preventative treatments.
It seems that I’d only just finished taking my antimalarials from my last visit to TL, when it was time to visit the Doctor to get a new prescription and update my shots.
Of course, there had been a preamble for months. Organising our new team members, a flurry of emails from Blanche, the program coordinator, various docs for various bureaucrats, the logistics around stock and equipment and then who will transport what from where.
Team 2 consisted of the old guard Henry Gilkes, David Digges, Ana Tilman, Ana Martins, and Nico Pires, with the new faces of Rupa Mannan in the first week and Niamh Grant and Ben Abbott in the second.
Henry and David arrived into Dili on Friday, June 23 to be met by Mario, our Rotary man on the ground. Troopy delivered into our hands, we set off for the Timor Plaza Hotel to negotiate an upgrade to our budget single room. Fortunately, success was on our side. We also had the pleasure of catching up with Isa, a long-time helper of the TLDP, and meeting her very partner Levi. Isa regaled us with tales of her busy life, juggling work and studies.
Next morning it was an early start in the Troopy, picking up Ana Tilman (AT) and Ana Martins (AM) on our way to Maubara to collect the Sisters’ car and load both with our equipment. We’re met by Nico and in his usual efficient manner both cars are loaded with everything but the surgery kitchen sink and we set off back toward Dili. With a little time to kill, we visit the Carmelite stronghold at Fatuhada to fly the flag and chat with the Sisters and some of the young adults who live there whilst studying.
As ever, David managed to pull a crowd!
We split into two – Sisters’ car departed for the airport, raiding the Leader supermarket on route before collecting Rupa with her cargo of stock, whilst the Troopy headed up the mountain to get a head start on our portable surgery setup at the Jesuit stronghold in Railaco.
Reunited somewhat later, we completed the finishing touches, testing the equipment to find that the much travelled refurbished triple syringe was still misbehaving. Rupa was acquainted with the bathroom facilities and relived school camp by bunking with AT and AM in the dorm. We suspect there was a lot of talking after lights out!
Catching up with Father Bong and the other Jesuit priests for the evening meal before an early night to ready ourselves for the next day.
Somehow the news of our dental caravan is woven into Sunday mass and we hit the tools as soon as people left the church and wandered across to our clinic. No rest for the wicked – we had a full day of patients in their finest church attire.
Our working days start typically around 8am, usually rolling in to a group of locals who gather patiently at the clinic awaiting our arrival.
Our primary objective in Railaco was to work our way through the school students at the nearby Jesuit boarding school, finishing the job that we started last year.
With 6 operators we sent three of us on the 5 minute walk through the cemetery to the school. AT marshalled the children, they fill in brief details on a chit and then filed past two of us to be examined by headlight and loupes using a no-touch technique.
Having now created 2 groups, the “neehan diak” (good teeth) group wandered back to the classroom whilst we escorted those selected for treatment back to the clinic.
There is much nervous chatter discussing whether their paper says “solda” (filling) or “fokit” (extraction). The children face the dental unknowns ahead with stoicism, you can’t help but wonder how this would be going down in Australia.
We see many instances of children who have had chronic pain for months, unable to eat properly and surely affecting their academic performance.
The days settled into a similar clinical pattern, 4 chairs working generally flat out until we ran out of patients around 5.30. We rotated operators as needed, particularly when there was something interesting happening where we could observe and offer guidance to our local colleagues. We can see an improvement in their clinical skills from last year, Nico proving to be a master of extractions and AT revelled in rebuilding smiles!
After our last patient, floors are mopped, benches tidied and we hit the bathroom to wash off the daily grime. Dinner with our hosts with wide ranging discussions and then sometimes a quick tutorial about something pertinent such as nerve blocks and filling techniques.
One evening a guitar was procured and Rupa and AT regaled us all with their lovely voices and impressive musical prowess.
An equally noteworthy event took place during our time in Railaco, when an Australian couple, who had sponsored AM throughout her three-year dental hygiene course in Kupang, paid us a visit. Emotions ran high as AM, who had limited contact with her sponsors over the years, finally had the opportunity to showcase the skills her benefactors’ gift had bestowed upon her as a young woman from the Maubara orphanage.
Dr David and Ana Martin, her two benefactors, and Father Bong
Halfway through the first week, we received disconcerting news about our planned access to the Maliana Hospital in our second week. A high-ranking bureaucrat at the Ministry of Health (MoH) had taken it upon himself to disregard all previous correspondence regarding our legitimacy and insisted on additional documentation. It appeared that the change in government had brought everything to a grinding halt. Determined to resolve the matter, we procured necessary numbers, made calls, and engaged in back-and-forth discussions with the Carmelite Sisters. Finally, a vague promise was made that a decision would be reached by the end of the week.
By Wednesday afternoon we had finished in Railaco, so the next morning, we trundled down the mountain stopping for some photos in a traditional village, to the expansive Jesuit institution at Kasait.
Ensconced in the medical clinic, we unpacked and saw a trickle of patients who magically appeared. Treating ourselves to a pizza dinner at the nearby Lauhota Beach Bar in the late afternoon we found daylight fading early with a swiftly appearing thunderstorm. Note to self: driving at night is not much fun with other traffic sometimes having no lights and the Sisters’ car headlights powered by votive candles.
Friday saw a full day of children, arriving with their very organised signed parental consent forms.
Still, the decision from the MoH remained elusive. In a stroke of genius, we reached out to the Director of the Maliana Hospital, Dr. Monez. A call was made to the MoH, and later that day, we received the long-awaited good news: we would be welcomed with open arms.
Saturday morning saw the team arrive back at our “home base” in Maubara clinic. Our plan was to only see the orphanage kids and any Sisters that might require some dental attention. We are trying to teach the local community that our two Timorese colleagues are more than competent to treat them and not to wait until the foreigners come before seeking treatment.
Rupa enjoyed looking after her cute little patients before it was time to whizz her into Dili for her flight back to Darwin. In a seamless transition we also picked up Niamh and Ben from the airport with their much needed cargo of gauze. Then back to Maubara we went – it’s becoming a familiar trip with us now knowing the potholes on a first name basis.
We retired up to the peaceful surroundings at the Carmelite stronghold of Fatubese. Perched up on the ridge with lovely views over the ocean, its a pleasant introduction to life on tour for our new crew.
Back to the orphanage for dinner with the highlight being the distribution of presents to the assembled children. There is much excitement as balls are thrown, bubbles blown and T shirts tried on. Good luck getting them to bed early that night!
Sunday morning saw us on the long and adventurous drive to Maliana. It’s quite a picturesque journey, initially following the coast south toward the border with expansive views toward offshore islands and then passing large swathes of rice paddies. Coastal villages whizz by with their slowly drying fish dangling in bunches and newly minted bags of salt set neatly in rows. Children line the road in their Sunday best clothes, returning from church, often walking barefoot and carrying their high heel shoes.
At Batugade the road turns away from the coast and ascends the mountain toward Balibo. Memories of bitumen with a white line are soon forgotten and it’s slow driving with the road no more than a rutted gravel track with some forlorn strips of old tar.
The reward is a lunch of pizza and beer at the Fort Hotel in Balibo, an unlikely oasis in this rural part of Timor Leste. It’s also an opportunity for our new team members to visit “Australia House” and read the history of the 5 journalists who lost their lives here in 1975. A poignant place that has a small dental surgery attached, supported by dentists and donations from Victoria.
Then it’s back down the other side of the mountain, across the long bridge over the wide pebbled river, skirting the Indonesian border and we arrive into Maliana. With much low rise housing and plenty of trees, it is hard to see how this is Timor-Leste’s third biggest city.
Met at the hospital by Mia, our friend and local organiser, we were shown to our new clinical home for the next week – the hospital’s new Covid annex, purpose built a couple of years ago it sits unused, full of fancy hospital beds, flushing toilets and air-conditioned. Laying out our instruments and consumables, setting up our portable chairs in this perfect situation it seemed strange that until a couple of days ago the MoH was making our life very difficult.
Accommodation was up the hill at Bethania, a partially used seminary and not a hardship posting. A wide bed, air-con and mozzie screens left Niamh and Ben wondering what I was on about with my pre-team missives about the challenges of life on the road. To Niamh’s relief, we were yet to meet a crocodile, although it was early days.
Our brief for the next 5 days was to screen and treat the children in a local middle school, see the community who invariably arrives after hearing of us on the bush telegraph and minister to the young hospital staff.
Starting early, the team splits into those who start on already-formed queue we encounter as we arrived and those who head to the school in the Troopy.
At school, Ana Tilman works her magic, taking names and ages whilst those with loupes and lights pass down the row of desks, the children standing and opening wide to expose their teeth. Once we had a suitable number for the Troopy ( a number not found in the Toyota manual but we suspect close to 20) they were shepherded outside and transported back to our makeshift clinic. Clasping their small chits inscribed with their fate, they cluster in the hallway under Mia’s watchful eye.
Tuesday saw Dr David leave in a thunderstorm for the long trip back to Dili, an unenviable journey in wet and gloomy conditions. Thankfully, he survived!
By the end of the week we were a well-oiled machine, our favourable working conditions enabling a lot of dentistry to be performed.
Just as Rupa had shown our local colleagues some tips and tricks, Niamh’s oral surgery skills and knowledge provided valuable insights for us all. One lucky banana skin is still in ICU after being put back together in our evening tutorial.
Finishing our school project in the nick of time on the Friday afternoon, we carefully packed up after the last patient, took the obligatory photos with the local dignitaries and got ready to hit the town for a big night out in Maliana.
For the two Ana’s, this involved a mysterious ritual known as “preperating” that involved hair washing, a selfie, clothes trying on and selection, more selfies, makeup application, a final selfie for the road and then appearing fashionably late!
An early start on the Saturday for our trip back to Dili enabled us to call into a small orphanage in the Loes area to remove any painful teeth and perform some basic silver fluoride treatments.
We continued on to Maubara to unload the cars, stocktake and sterilise our recently used instruments. Delivering the Sisters’ car back to the Sisters, we farewelled Nico to bike it back to his family in Dili, while we continue on in the Troopy. Those sitting on the rear bench seats discover that leaf springs and potholes make sports bra wearing mandatory. And that was just the for the guys!
Spying a large plot of flat land near the road, Dr Ben provided some driving instruction to Ana Tilman who is becoming more accomplished (or less dangerous) every year.
Foregoing mass, we took a Sunday drive to the Cristo Rei statue with its views over the bay toward Dili before heading back to the airport, delivering the Troopy to Mario, expressing fond farewells and suddenly it’s all over.
Team 2 examined 1126 patients in our two weeks, removed 592 teeth, filled 173 teeth, sealed 470 fissured teeth, silver fluorided at least 520 teeth, and provided a clean for 52 new friends.
In addition, we had Ana Tilman stand in front of various groups of children to provide oral hygiene instruction, whilst in the clinic we pleaded “decrease your sugar intake” and “could you please limit your betel nut chewing to one a day”.
Of course none of this would be possible without those that sponsor us, in particular Henry Schein and Southern Dental Industries ( providers of the wonderful silver fluoride/potassium iodide). Also we operate under the aegis of the Rotary Club of Chatswood / Roseville which provides insurance cover for the team and a mechanism for tax deductible donations to the TLDP.
To all those who have donated, your contributions have been instrumental in supporting education, salaries for our Timorese staff, and the procurement of essential anaesthetics and dental supplies.
Finally, a big shout out to our program coordinator, who finds time in her busy life to marshal the teams, deal with sponsors, herd the cats, grey her hair with bureaucratic dimwittery, point the Carmelites in the right direction, WhatsApp the local crew and occasionally stamp her foot when required. (Thanks Henry-B)
It’s coming to the end of our volunteering year. Phew! Team 4 arrived back safely 2 weeks ago, but we have been super-busy trying to address some of their problems, as well as sort out some tricky logistics for Team 5; so we have yet to update our friends and supporters on what Team 4 got up to! Sorry for the delay – the team leader’s report was just posted last night – we will update you as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, our last team for the year, headed by Dr David Sheen, arrives in TL tomorrow. Accompanying David, is long-time volunteer, Dr Geoff Knight, and Sydney prosthetist, Dr John Darby. Team 5 is working in the Oecusse and Maubisse areas. Oecusse is an East Timorese enclave within West Timor (Indonesia). It is Timor Leste’s East Berlin – difficult to get to, significantly poorer, and with less services than the rest of TL. With equipment and vehicles, one gets there via road or via sea. The road option takes a several hours visit to the Indonesian embassy, a whole day drive through 60km of West Timor, stopping at multiple military checkpoints, and multiple ‘extra’ payments. It was a total pain the last time we chose the road. So, this time, the team is trying to get their by boat; however, the last time a team took the sea-option, our vehicle almost went for a swim. So…Good Luck Team 5!
Team 2 returned from TL on the 6thJune after a 10-day whirlwind trip. The team consisted of team leader, Dr John Moran, his steadfast mate, Dr John Whyte, newbie volunteer, Emma Whyte, the TLDP’s dental therapist, Nicolau Tolentino Pires (Nico), and Australian-trained, Timorese dental assistant, Ana Paula dos Santos Tavares Salgado.
This team is well known for its efficiency. They covered a lot of ground; dividing their time between the Railaco, Kasait and Maubara areas. In Railaco, they were hosted by our Jesuit partners, and as usual were kept thoroughly fed, watered and entertained by the ebullient Father Bong, with his team, Fathers Truong, Phong, Siriak and Sagi, plus trainee Jesuit, Ismal. Lively dinner discussions, well-oiled by wine, ranging from attitudes towards eating pets, to a coffee delicacy produced from predigested coffee beans, and libido-limiting fruit, kept the team recharged during their stay in Railaco.
The first 2 days were spent treating patients in the Railaco Parish Clinic Centre, where the team treated patients from the local community. The team was augmented by Ismal and a local man, Victor, who performed the vital task of interpreting – neither Nico, nor Ana Paula, are from Railaco, so they don’t speak the local language of Railaco. Timor has 2 official languages – Portuguese and Tetum, but there are also scores of local languages, or what the people call ‘mother tongues’. Many people struggle with Portugese, and even Tetum can become sketchy the further out one ventures. In most of the tiny, remote villages, knowledge of the local language is essential. (Pic: Emma Whyte, John Whyte, Fr Bong, Ana Paula, John Moran, Nico)
The team had a single day before equipment issues started rolling in. Day 2 saw the foot pedal of one of our dental units go bust, necessitating a 4 am dash back to Maubara for Nico on Day 3 to get the spare. Luckily for this team, Railaco is one of the closest locations to Maubara. Nico was back 3 ½ hours later, the offending foot pedal fixed, and the team headed off to Railaco Leten, almost 2 hours drive away.
The team worked in the Sacred Heart of Jesus chapel in Railaco Leten, which is a lovely space and has great views; however, electricity is dodgy in Railaco Leten and this played havoc with the electric autoclave that the team had chosen to take with them. This meant that the team spent most of the night sterilising on their return to Railaco, where the electricity is more reliable. (Pic: Our Steri-Room)
Day 4 saw the team heading up the hill to Tocoluli, where they worked in a community hall overlooking Mt Ramelau. At this point they started to run out some of the anaesthetic. Despite being small in height, many Timorese, especially the ones in the remote areas, have large teeth, with massive roots, and need more anaesthetic. It must have been a very tiring day, but at night, the team were rewarded with a feast at the Order of St Paul of Chartres Convent – the sisters are superb cooks and their singing is a real treat. (Pic: John Whyte in his room with a view)
Day 5 was a day of endurance and patience for the team – they had to set up and break down the portable clinic twice. Their clinic in Nasuta was stymmied not only by yet another new public holiday – Children’s Day – but also the Sacred Heart of Jesus Procession. After only a few patients, the team packed up and headed back down the hill and spent the rest of the day in Railaco Parish Clinic Centre.
Days 6 and 7 were spent in Kasait, back on the coast. The two days were productive and busy and were only marred by the suction motor burning out on the first day. Nico, with local, Nani, drove the suction motor and one of our generators to Dili for repair. The suction unit’s motor was replaced with a vacuum cleaner motor overnight and was in action again the following day (albeit with less power)! (Pic: The team about to farewell Kasait)
The final 2 days were spent in Maubara, first at the senior high school, then finishing up at our base clinic. The team experienced their final breakdown – one of the dental carts turned up its toes – but reached the finish line with their good humour unscathed! They spent some time at the Maubara Orphanage, where they were treated to a coffee, biscuits and a little concert. A fabulous way to end a visit!
Overall the team did 849 treatments, including 266 fillings, 229 extractions, and 132 preventive treatments. The two Johns are also great teachers and they spent a large amount of time with Nico, honing his restorative skills. Despite the setbacks, the entire team had a fantastic time and enjoyed working and living together immensely. Go Team 2!
Our next team is ready to hit the road this Friday. The dynamic duo, Dr Andy Moran and Dr Gordon Saggers, is our Railaco-specific team this year. They will spend their entire 2 weeks in the company of the fabulous Father Bong and his merry crew. They will be taking over a new pressure cooker autoclave that we have just purchased from India. This autoclave will live in Railaco, which will mean that Tino (the super-dedicated Timorese dental therapist we mentor), who lives in nearby Gleno, can run a regular outreach clinic there. Good luck and have fun Team 4!
The TLDP sends another team to TL’s fair shores this week. Close buddies, Wayne Pearson and Blanche Tsetong, first met in TL many years ago while serving in a dental team headed by program founder, Sandra Meihubers. With one exception, the pair have formed the core of a team every year since. This year, the pair was to be joined by newbies Beth Bowen and Mary Tuituinnik, however, both gals have had family issues and have had to bow out, leaving the redoubtable Sally Stephens to fill the breach. Sally continues to amaze us all with her dedication and enthusiasm and I am sure this team will have a ball in her company. As this team is tiny, it gets to got to Letefoho! Scenic, airy and peaceful, with Ramelau within spitting distance, Letefoho is one of the most stunning places the teams have had the privilege to visit. The region also has some of the worst roads and, as a result, is very isolated. Lots of work. Lucky Team 3! Wayne leaves his cattle in Grafton, and Blanche, her renovations in the Sunshine Coast, to fly to Darwin this Friday and onward to TL Saturday morning.
This Sunday our first team for 2015 heads to Timor Leste’s sunny shores. The team, led by Dr David Sheen, has the important tasks of touching base with our network in TL, as well as the installation of the dental chair in Railaco, on top of the usual tasks of treating the East Timorese and mentoring Timorese Dental Therapists that are our everyday challenges. David is joined by new volunteer, Patrick Fitzgerald, and by Keith Mentiplay and Dr Peter Shakes. We are also very lucky to have Sally Stephens join the team for the first time. She is an Aussie dental nurse who currently resides in Dili.
We wish them a safe and productive trip and hope that their interactions with everyday East Timorese continues to build peace, understanding and resilience within this still very young nation.
As promised, Father Bong and his merry band picked up the equipment for the Timor Leste Dental Program on Sunday and hauled it to Railaco. The heavy weight and unwieldiness of the items proved no obstacle to team’s determination and cooperative efforts to move them into the clinic. Thank you to Father Bong and his team and to Daryl Mills and his team, without whom these dental materials and equipment would still be sitting on the dock in Dili.
Our amazing friend Daryl Mills, the hardworking Rotary Liaison in Timor Leste, has informed us that the container carrying our precious equipment and materials has arrived unscathed! Our partners in Railaco, Father Bong and his team, will be taking it all to Railaco for our first team to sort when they arrive. Just in the nick of time! Team 1 hits Timor Leste’s sunny shores on the 20th April, in just over a week.
As we are creating a new fixed dental clinic in Railaco, to be used by the team when in the area, the refurbished dental chair, drill unit and suction unit will be installed there permanently – Team 1’s Keith Mentiplay’s first job! The remainder of the materials and equipment will be taken by the team back to Maubara.
Equipment in TL must be hardy – it must be able to cope with the humidity, the heat, the dusty conditions and uncertain electrical currents. But its first challenge is to withstand Timor’s roads.
As 2014 draws to a close, one naturally reflects upon the year which has passed so rapidly. It has been an exceedingly busy and exciting year for all of us in the Timor Leste Dental Program. We have welcomed a whole bunch of new volunteers and said our sad goodbyes to those who have called it a day. It has been a year of outrageously intense fundraising and thanks to all our supporters, we managed to not only achieve our goal of buying a new Troopie – T2 – but we have been able to raise money that will carry us forward for the next few years. Your generosity and support has been overwhelming and we are grateful not only for your financial support, but also for your ideas and advice.
As this goes to press, we are preparing to transport a second hand dental chair (donated by Dr David Sheen) to our new partners, the Jesuit Mission in Railaco. This chair will be useful when our teams are in Railaco and we are hoping it will also be useful for Father Bong, a medical GP, for procedural work. With the chair goes a second portable suction unit, donated by Dr Gordon Howe of Manly, and a portable dental unit as well. We are also hoping to sneak in 119 boxes of gloves with the ‘package’ so the teams don’t have to lug around so much luggage next year. Fingers crossed! The ‘package’ will be sent to Melbourne by courier, to be placed on the next shipping container to Dili.
We have had an unprecedented number of volunteers putting up their hand for 2015, and I am happy to report that our increased profile has allowed us to send 5 teams in 2015 – we may even have a 6th! Our volunteer year kicks off in late April with Team 1 being lead by David Sheen, who will be accompanied by the super enthusiastic Peter Shakes and equipment guru Keith Mentiplay. Team 2, lead by John Moran and his talented daughter, Sam, will head out in early June. Newcomers, Dr Mary Tiutuinnik and Beth Bowen will join Team 3 in late July, with Blanche Tsetong and jack-of-all-trades Wayne Pearson. Team 4, lead by super chilled David Digges, with dental legend, Geoff Knight, will leave late August. Team 5, consisting of Andy Moran (Snake), Gordon Saggers (Cowboy) and Alan Christie (Agatha) will head to TL in mid- September and will be the first of our teams to work in Railaco only. For advice on those nicknames – I am reliably told it is secret Railaco business – apply to Father Bong.
Thank you to all of our volunteers, our long-suffering families, our friends and supporters for everything you have given to the program this year. We wish you all a safe, very happy Christmas and a super new year! See you all in 2015!
Timor-Leste Dental Program 