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photo 1 (2)From the 17th to the 22nd of March, the Fundación MIR was happy to once again host their annual Oral Health Initiative. Thanks to the help of Dr. Hudson, a New York dentist whose list of clients includes J.Pepe Fanjul along with a group of volunteer dentists and surgeons from New York, the initiate brought clean teeth and big white smiles to La Romana, specifically to Campo Nueva Esperanza! photo 1 (4)The “smile” team of 14 volunteers; from Columbia Dental School in New York  worked tirelessly to provide dental health care – as well giving advice to the students of the Fundación MIR at the MIR Esperanza (boys vocational school) in La Romana. Their efforts were also complemented by a team of local Dominican dentists! Throughout the 4-day operation over 600 students of the Fundación MIR were examined with procedures including extractions, cavity fillings, root canals and a frenectomy. And while much excellent work was done during the operation – the Fundación MIR, the dentists and the students actually spent months preparing for the “Oral Health Initiative”; collecting donations of equipment. Also this year Dr. Yakir Arteaga, began a program of prevention and monitoring, where members of the Fundación MIR will treat students with fluoride every 3 months. Training for this procedure was given to some teachers, the Religious Sisters and key staff of the Fundación MIR.

Teachers, Religious Sisters and Staff of Fundación MIR learning about oral health with Dr. Yakir Arteaga

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To promote oral health all year round, the Fundación MIR does not serve any sweets or soft drinks in the MIR cafeterias and even provides all children from Kindergarten through to 4th grade with their own toothbrush which they use daily after “snack time”.

The team of volunteer dentists at the Fundación MIR, La Romana

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A great success for all involved!: 
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The Fundación MIR The Fundación MIR is a non-profit organization which works to provide education to the children of the greater La Romana area, who are most in need. They run 3 schools; the MIR Esperanza (boys vocational school), the Escuela Técnica Vocacional Fundación MIR (girls vocational school) and the Primaria MIR (infants school). For more information on the Fundación MIR and to make a donation, visit their website: www.mirinternational.org To make a donation contact the MIR office in Casa de Campo (809-523-8270) or in West Palm Beach (561-366-5095). Donations are tax deductible for US Citizens! To find out more and see photos and articles of events organized by the Fundación MIR – click here!