Ecuador - Trip Report
June 2008
By: Stefania Tamburrino
Dental Clinic
Trip Report: Advise for Dental Students Volunteering in Quito My name is Stefania and I am a 4th-year dental student from Montreal, Canada. In June 2008, along with three of my classmates, I volunteered in Quito for a period of two weeks. We volunteered in two local dental clinics: “Clinica Vida y Salud� and “ Fundación Manuel Cordova�. Both of these clinics are located in the south of Quito and serve lower middle class families. Accommodations
We planned our accommodations before arriving in Quito. We stayed with a lady named Rosita who rents rooms in her house to students (usually North American or European) who will be staying in Quito for a short period of time. Her home is situated in a very safe neighbourhood in the North (more upscale area) of the city. We paid $17 per day for breakfast, dinner and shower, as well as laundry services once per week. Rosita teaches Spanish to foreign students at a nearby school and is very welcoming towards the young people staying in her home.
Transportation
We took public transportation to travel everywhere within the city. The trole, metrobus or regular bus only costs $0.25 and it is very easy to get around. It helps if you can speak some Spanish (in case you need to ask for directions), but the people were very friendly and willing to help us out.
The local people continuously warned us to be careful with our belonging, in order to avoid anything being stolen. Luckily, we had a good experience and nothing was taken. Be as vigilant as possible and keep purses/ backpacks close to you when standing in a crowded bus; however, in general, the Ecuadorian people are quite courteous and friendly. Work Experience
The Clinica Vida y Salud is located in the Villa Flora sector of Quito. It is a clinic for pregnant women and young children. The patients are seen by a gynecologist who then sends them to the dentist (for a cleaning or to treat a painful tooth). Children that come in with their parents are also sent to the dental office. The dental clinic usually runs from 10 am to 12 pm, with an average of 1-2 patients per day.
The Fundacion Manuel Cordova is both a medical and dental clinic. It offers services to the local people at a reduced cost compared to a private clinic. In order to attract a significant number of new patients, we created flyers and distributed them to passerbys a few days prior to beginning to work. We saw an average of 6 to 8 patients per day, with treatments ranging from cleanings, operative dentistry and extractions.I can answer questions in French as well for any francophone students interested in volunteering. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend it to any dental student interested in visiting another country as well as improving their dental skills! www.face Apply now
How Do I Apply?
Follow this 3 step process:
1. Create an account and then login. Next Fill out the Online Application.
2. Next, Print/Fill out the Paper form (PDF or DOC) and mail it to us with any supporting documents.
3. Upon receipt of your materials, we will process your application, obtain necessary work permits and deploy you to your volunteering site. Filling out the volunteering form is not a guarantee of placement, but we do try to accommodate as many volunteers as possible during the times you request. Please remember you will have to pay your own visa, temporary licensure or other governmental fees necessary. In the mean time, please gain the latest recommended immunizations
US Citizens: Follow CDC Guidelines | UK Citizens: Follow NHS Guidelines | Other Citizens: Follow Local Guidelines
June 2008
By: Stefania Tamburrino
Dental Clinic
Trip Report: Advise for Dental Students Volunteering in Quito My name is Stefania and I am a 4th-year dental student from Montreal, Canada. In June 2008, along with three of my classmates, I volunteered in Quito for a period of two weeks. We volunteered in two local dental clinics: “Clinica Vida y Salud� and “ Fundación Manuel Cordova�. Both of these clinics are located in the south of Quito and serve lower middle class families. Accommodations
We planned our accommodations before arriving in Quito. We stayed with a lady named Rosita who rents rooms in her house to students (usually North American or European) who will be staying in Quito for a short period of time. Her home is situated in a very safe neighbourhood in the North (more upscale area) of the city. We paid $17 per day for breakfast, dinner and shower, as well as laundry services once per week. Rosita teaches Spanish to foreign students at a nearby school and is very welcoming towards the young people staying in her home.
Transportation
We took public transportation to travel everywhere within the city. The trole, metrobus or regular bus only costs $0.25 and it is very easy to get around. It helps if you can speak some Spanish (in case you need to ask for directions), but the people were very friendly and willing to help us out.
The local people continuously warned us to be careful with our belonging, in order to avoid anything being stolen. Luckily, we had a good experience and nothing was taken. Be as vigilant as possible and keep purses/ backpacks close to you when standing in a crowded bus; however, in general, the Ecuadorian people are quite courteous and friendly. Work Experience
The Clinica Vida y Salud is located in the Villa Flora sector of Quito. It is a clinic for pregnant women and young children. The patients are seen by a gynecologist who then sends them to the dentist (for a cleaning or to treat a painful tooth). Children that come in with their parents are also sent to the dental office. The dental clinic usually runs from 10 am to 12 pm, with an average of 1-2 patients per day.
The Fundacion Manuel Cordova is both a medical and dental clinic. It offers services to the local people at a reduced cost compared to a private clinic. In order to attract a significant number of new patients, we created flyers and distributed them to passerbys a few days prior to beginning to work. We saw an average of 6 to 8 patients per day, with treatments ranging from cleanings, operative dentistry and extractions.I can answer questions in French as well for any francophone students interested in volunteering. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend it to any dental student interested in visiting another country as well as improving their dental skills! www.face Apply now
How Do I Apply?
Follow this 3 step process:
1. Create an account and then login. Next Fill out the Online Application.
2. Next, Print/Fill out the Paper form (PDF or DOC) and mail it to us with any supporting documents.
3. Upon receipt of your materials, we will process your application, obtain necessary work permits and deploy you to your volunteering site. Filling out the volunteering form is not a guarantee of placement, but we do try to accommodate as many volunteers as possible during the times you request. Please remember you will have to pay your own visa, temporary licensure or other governmental fees necessary. In the mean time, please gain the latest recommended immunizations
US Citizens: Follow CDC Guidelines | UK Citizens: Follow NHS Guidelines | Other Citizens: Follow Local Guidelines
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