Dental hygiene students from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, including Claudia D. Friskey from Prospect Park, had a unique opportunity to visit four villages in the Dominican Republic and provide dental care to 250 children, writes the staff of North Central PA.
The students are enrolled in a course called Global Experience: Oral Healthcare Field.
For some visits, students had to hike three miles up a steep hill with pack donkeys to reach one of the villages.
The team also set up a clinic on a basketball court in the tropical heat.
They treated a lot of tooth decay brought on by poor nutrition and lack of basic hygiene supplies.
Friskey made the same trip as a student in 2023 and returned this year as an alumna.
“A big part of why I wanted to come back this year was to experience the joy on kids’ faces when they saw a familiar face,” Friskey said.
“There’s nothing more heartwarming than when a child smiles at you and gives you the biggest hug for doing something we may see as miniscule,” she said.
The group stayed near Sosua, a once-thriving family vacation destination, and traveled to villages served by CUPS Mission.
Read more about the trip in North Central PA.
