Support the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA)

Twelve dental students and two faculty members from the UNLV School of Dental Medicine will travel to Bolivia and provide direct patient care alongside faculty and students from the Universidad Privida Franz Tamayo and interface with an existing outreach program to underserved Bolivians. 

While in Bolivia, our dental students will see at least 30 teenage patients from Saavedra, a small town outside of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They will perform comprehensive care on these patients including cleanings, fillings, extractions, and canine to canine veneers to improve the function and aesthetics of patients suffering from severe fluorosis. The students will also put on a health fair in the town of Saavedra with the goal of improving the community’s knowledge and awareness of their dental health.

Many people in Saavedra suffer from severe fluorosis caused by too much fluoride in their drinking water.  Faculty from the Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo have identified this as a key challenge facing many individuals living in rural parts of Bolivia. 

Our students will be working to repair/restore their front teeth to an improved level of function and aesthetics in order to improve the quality of life of the individuals receiving treatment.  

We would like to acknowledge Absolute Dental for being our lead sponsor this year!