The tiny team of Linda Veloskey and Blanche Tsetong touched down on Australian soil on Saturday, after a massive delay caused by cranky computers and lack of a fax machine in Dili Airport.
As you all know, Team 3 had the excitement of test driving the ‘new’ car and we can report that with the exception of an errant horn, lack of a jack, mismatched noisy tyres, a sticky back door and the unwise use of dodgy fuel, Troopie 2 was a dream ride!
Work locations: Maubara Clinic, Liquiça Hospital, Vatuvou School, Maubisse Hospital.
The team worked again in Liquiça with Aida, who is fast becoming a tooth extractor
extraordinaire and is now working on her filling techniques. The best bit about the Maubara/Liquiça area, is its proximity to the ocean – an arvo swim is the best balm to a 8 hours standing in 30 degree heat.
Our second week was spent in the cold mountain town of Maubisse, which despite its lack of beach had a number of advantages – a lower mozzie count, cooler temps to work in, and Armando Da Costa Martins, the new Timorese dental therapist at the hospital – like Tino and Aida, he is super keen to learn!!! Like the others, he also missing a stack of basic dental equipment and materials.
Drill bits (he also has a new chair), suction tips, local anaesthesia and filling materials were only a few of the materials we brought him to get him going! This visit we concentrated on local anaesthetic techniques and infection control, but with a bare 3 days of contact, the learning curve was steep. Nevertheless, Armando took it all in his stride, always smiling and laughing when the going got tough!
In total, the team treated 209 patients, carrying out 134 exams, 210 extractions, 97 fillings, and 20 preventative services. Thank you to Henry Schein Halas for their continued support this trip – we used all that free stuff!!!!
Timor-Leste Dental Program 