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1. To raise the COLT children of Phnom Penh until they can be successfully integrated into Cambodian society. With proper training these children will be able to obtain and retain employment. 2. Provide basic training in the following areas for the COLT children. These areas would include but not be limited to: (a) sewing, (b) cooking, (c) hospitality services, e,g, guest house, (d) dental assistants, (e) computer skills, (f) tourism, etc. 3. When feasible, item number two above would include other street children of Phnom Penh . |
4. Community Based Dental Outreach Program: Dr. Renner would like to coordinate the training of third and fourth year students of Cambodian Dental School in Phnom Penh with the pro bono care of orphanage, street, and remote village children. This will include an effort to recruit overseas dental volunteers to assist in the training of dental students and the provision of pro bono dental care. The detail description follows.
Course Description
This fourth year elective course centered in the Department of Community Dentistry at the University of Dentistry in Phnom-Penh will provide the dental student with clinical experience in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases found in children and young adults in communities underserved/not served by traditional dental practitioners.
The program will be conducted by Dr. Robert P. Renner, Professor ( Emeritus) of the University at Stony Brook, School of Dental Medicine , Stony Brook , NY , USA . And faculty members from the dental school.
Dr. Renner has been providing basic dental care to disadvantaged children in Phnom-Penh and in Kompong Cham province for several years with the generous support of Andre and Lily Ruys of Local Adventure, a travel company in Phnom Penh with a volunteering mission http://www.cambodia.nl/engels/frames/ Andre Ruys, a partner of Local Adventure is also a board member of COLT.
As a dental educator for more than 30 years in the United States Dr. Renner understands the importance of introducing dental students and new graduates to the concept of treating the poor and needy children of a local community. The aim is to give dental students the opportunity to spend a week outside the dental school setting to treat needy children in non traditional dental settings. These non traditional dental settings would include treating children in orphanages, school rooms, in homes, and in the field using basic portable dental equipment.
Educational Objectives
The educational objectives of this elective course would include:
• Basic dental charting techniques
• Providing preventive strategies for dental care
• Diagnosing hard and soft tissue pathology
• Making basic medical assessments of nutritional status and health
• Providing referrals to other appropriate health care professionals
• Treatment planning
• Providing emergency treatment as necessary including extraction of deciduous teeth, roots, and placing of sedative and ART (Atraumatic restorative treatment ) restorations
• Understand the factors leading to the conditions of the child
• Providing preventive measures to the child, including the application of topical fluoride, dissemination of oral hygiene aids (tooth brushes etc.).
Student Assessment
Student performance would be assessed at the end of the program in writing to the Department of Community Dentistry at the Dental School . Grades would be awarded on a Pass/Fail system with additional anecdotal information.