Week 1 reflections

We chose to come to the field school because we felt that it was a good way to make a small difference to a community with limited access to care. It is also going to feel very rewarding to reorient dental hygiene services to circumstances we may not have at home.

Our first impression of San Pancho, Mexico was that we really felt as if we were "among friends". The community felt welcoming, close, and very family oriented. The town is small and humble but incredibly beautiful and inviting. We are not only surrounded by vibrant architecture and nature but also by the inhabitants of San Pancho.

We are looking forward to spending valuable time with the primary school children and hoping to positively impact their oral health values and first impressions of oral health professionals. We also look forward to meeting the members of the community that have been patients for 9 years and new patients at our clinic that need our services desperately. In addition, we hope to grow as clinicians and form strong relationships despite the language barriers.

We anticipate long tiring days but fun and exciting opportunities to build rapport with our colleagues and our patients....by Serena and Alysha.

Week 1 Reflections

Our first week in San Pancho was spent getting acclimatized and familiar in our home for the next few weeks! Our FS leader led us on a nice walking tour of the town,  we alsospent time walking the beach, lounging by the pool, and trying new and delicious foods !!! We met with the director of the community centre who gave us a tour of the incredible community center, Entres Amigos, which left us feeling excited for the weeks ahead. We both found the model of their facility and the programs that they run to be quite outstanding and showed leadership within their community. Last week, we had the opportunity to explore les Islas de Marietas, a few islands off of Punta de Mita, where we had fun snorkeling, swimming and boating.

We both chose to come on this field school because we wanted to broaden our cultural perspective by experiencing first hand another culture. We also were excited to gain more clinical practice in a challenging setting. Our first impressions of San Pancho is that it is a truly beautiful and friendly community. The people we have met so far have been extremely welcoming to us, and patient with our language barrier. Working with the children at the Kindergarten School was a great start to our trip as they were so full of joy and open to our information!

We are excited for what is to come. ……… by Allison and Brett

Week 1 Reflections

We chose to come on the field school because we feel its important to give access to care, and we feel this experience will broaden our skills, push us out of our comfort zones, and help us grow as individuals and professionals. We also feel that working in an unfamiliar setting will help prepare us to work efficiently in situations where we may not have the equipment we are used to working with. We hope to implement the skills and knowledge we learn through this experience in our future careers and continue to travel and provide care to those in need. Our first impression of San Pancho is that it's a quaint, friendly place with a “small town” feeling, which is a nice change from our own experience and from some tourists seek to experience in Mexico (stay in a resort setting.) The town and the locals made us feel welcomed and safe. We are always greeted by friendly smiles and the scenery is beautiful. We were surprised to see the contrast between buildings that were literally side by side, as some are grand and elegant and others are small and run down. We are all looking forward to helping at the schools and providing care to the children. Our hope is that we leave feeling like we made a difference for the people of San Pancho...by Emily, Laura, and Tracy.

Oral Health Screenings @ the Kindergarten School

Debriefing back at home and looking at pictures.

First dinner together and introduction to San Pancho

Field School 2016: We are back.

 Left Victoria on  April 30, 2016

Thank you Westjet.

4h13min to PVR