GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
APRIL 26 THROUGH MAY 6, 2012
We are pleased to announce "Smiles for Guatemala 2012,"
our next dental and medical expedition to Central America!
Sonrisas para Guatemala 2012
We anticipate helping approximately 800 young men and women prepare to serve LDS missions by providing assistance in filling out missionary papers, haircuts, missionary photos, blood and urine tests, missionary medical exams, hygiene training, dental cleaning, comprehensive restorative dentistry, endodontics, and oral surgery.
We will also be participating in various community service projects while we are in Guatemala City, including projects for orphanages, a children's cancer hospital, a maternity hospital, a service project for the families in a local LDS ward, and several visits to families in need.
Our Volunteer Team
Our team will be made up of approximately 110 volunteers. The estimated numbers of medical and dental professionals and volunteers needed are:
- 24 general dentists
- 4 endodontists
- 6 oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- 5 physicians
- 1 prosthodontist or dental lab technician (to make replacement teeth)
- 1-2 nurses
- 2 medical lab technicians
- Dental and oral surgical assistants
- 15+ pre-dental and pre-medical students
- 2-3 volunteers to give haircuts
- Other volunteers to staff the dental and medical clinic areas, as well as humanitarian services
Dental and medical professionals are encouraged (but not required) to bring a trained assistant and/or family members to assist in the clinic. This will enable us to be as efficient as possible in this large endeavor.
Although Spanish language skills are a nice benefit, volunteers do not need to be able to speak Spanish to join an expedition.
Costs for the Expedition
The cost of this trip is $2,650 per person. This includes airfare from and returning to Salt Lake City (may be different for those departing from and returning to other airports), hotels, meals, and ground transportation. In addition to the 5 1/2 day medical/dental clinic in Guatemala City, we will spend three nights on the island of Roatan.
Everyone, including tour leaders, pays his/her own way. All payments for this trip will be processed through the Provo Rotary Charitable Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. We are grateful to the Provo Rotary Club, Inc. for providing use of this foundation.
Passport
Participants must have a current passport that does not expire before September 26, 2012. Passport numbers for travelers with our group must be turned in to the Guatemala government at least a month before our arrival to ensure our humanitarian status. You will not need to obtain a visa for this trip.
Special Licenses to Practice in Guatemala
We will help dental and medical professionals apply for a temporary license to practice in Guatemala. All professionals will need to do this, as you cannot practice without it. This will be done as a group.
Therefore, if you are planning to travel with us, you must send ASAP via email, digital copies of your:
- diploma
- current professional license
- curriculum vitae (a brief resume)
- passport
Please send your documents to smilesforcentralamerica @ gmail . com (no spaces). We will apply for the license for you, but it is critical that we apply as a group. Your documents are due at the time of registration.
If you recently submitted these forms for trips in 2010 or 2011, we still have your documents and you do not need to resubmit them. However, if your professional license or passport has expired since then, please send us an updated digital copy. When you have completed your registration form, you will receive an email detailing what documents you need to update. Your registration will not be complete until all documents are received.
All dental and medical professionals should also have photocopies of these documents with them while on the expedition.
What to Bring
Every member of the team is asked to pack light!
Each person is allowed two pieces of personal luggage to carry on into the passenger compartment of the airplane--one for the overhead compartment (such as a small rolling overnight suitcase) and one to go under the seat (such as a large daypack).
Everyone (except doctors, dentists, and surgeons) is asked to use their checked baggage allowance to carry two 50-pound duffel bags filled with humanitarian supplies that are packed by our humanitarian team.Dentists, doctors, and endodontists are allowed up to two checked bags to bring their medical and dental supplies. Doctors and dentists who do not need both bags for their supplies may be asked to carry humanitarian supplies.
Surgeons who need more than the two-checked-bag limit will be able to have other volunteers use their allowance to bring the extra bags of supplies.
Click here for more information about what dental and medical professionals need to bring and what we provide for you.
Click here for a suggested personal packing list for all volunteers.
Immunizations
We recommend that you contact your physician or local county health department, tell them where you're going, and obtain their recommendations on immunizations. You can also visit the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) for information on vaccinations and travelers' health.
Application and Registration
Click here to fill out the online application for Smiles for Guatemala 2012.
All applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and you will be contacted for a phone interview within a few weeks.
After you have filled out the online application and have been selected to participate in the expedition, you will be given a password to access the online Registration form and the Payment link.
After you have received this information, we ask that you promptly fill out the registration form, and at the time of registration, make full payment of $2650.00 to reserve your place on the team. Payment in full will be due by February 20, 2012. You may make your payment online with a credit card or with a check by mail. Payment details will be provided on the Payment page.
We hope you will join us!
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