MTI Vans

By Dr. Randy Ogata

In 2020, when I took over as Executive Director of SKCDS, one of the first things outgoing SKCDF President Dr. Princy Rekhi gave me as a gift was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Medical Teams International (MTI) to co-host dental van events over the next five years. What I didn’t realize at the time was the amount of work, sweat, tears and efforts that had gone in for the years before this to bring this MOU to fruition. It had been a labor of love for member dentists, for our community, and for the thousands of lives we are yet to touch. Shortly thereafter, COVID hit the US shores and what was important “yesterday” suddenly wasn’t as important “today”, so the MTI dental van events were temporarily put on hold as we helped all dentists navigate this pandemic – and since we couldn’t even treat dental patients for just over two months.

Late in 2020, as King County slowly began to allow public and group gatherings, SKCDF and MTI resumed discussions to schedule co-branded dental van events as well as completing the wrap on the co-branded dental van. And oh, there were lessons learned along the way. Lesson #1: It takes much longer than one might think to come up with a mutually agreeable van wrap design. Lesson #2: Cold weather is not conducive to van wraps, unless you have a huge garage. Lesson #3: It is much easier to schedule upcoming events during the winter than it is to wrap a van. Lesson #4: Efficiency is cut 50% when limited to only one of two operatories in a dental van.

Working with key personnel within MTI and the UW School of Dentistry (SOD), we scheduled our first event for April at Jubilee Reach (Bellevue), our second event for July at New Life Church (Renton), and our third event for October at Recovery Café (SODO).

One of the most satisfying things to watch is when proper planning sets volunteers up for success. On April 24-25, 2021, SKCDS dentists, including then President Austin Baruffi, helped staff the first MTI/SKCDF/UW SOD event at Jubilee Reach in Bellevue. This was the first time that the UW SOD students were allowed back outside to treat patients and they brought their “A Game” both days. On day one, we treated eighteen patients, referred six for further treatments, and the seventy-two procedures performed carried an estimated value of $6,658 in care. Finally, as a bonus on day one, thirty individuals were provided their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. On day two, the team saw thirty patients, referring fourteen for additional treatments; and the eighty-five procedures provided were valued at $14,351 in donated care.