Q & A for Dr. Valda

Questions For Dr. Valda

What is your business here in Gallup and what brought you to Gallup? I arrived in Gallup in 2001 to work for IHS in Ft. Defiance. After one year at Fort, I started my practice Small Fry Dentistry here in Gallup. Prior to arriving in Gallup, I was in Germany as a contractor dentist for the Army.

What was the inspiration behind going to Peru? Doing humanitarian work has always been my calling. I tried to establish it in my home country of Bolivia but Peru made it easier to go there. My grandfather was a doctor and spent most of his career in underprivileged areas. What does a normal day look like when you are serving the people in Peru? A normal day is to arrive at a site, most likely a church or school at 8:00am. The word has already been out that a dental clinic will arrive. People walk for two days to arrive and to be treated. By 5:00pm we have to start turning people down until the next morning. The hardest part is having to leave when so many people have not been treated.

What kind of reception do you receive from the people in Peru? Do you ever take other doctors with you on your trip? I work with two other dentists in Peru.

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They are in charge of organizing everything before I arrive. The locals will feed us and go out of their way to make sure we have help. Children will hold flashlights while we work because there is no electricity available.

Are you planning on going back, and what can our community do to help you? Would you be interested in giving a presentation of what you do to share with the community? I have been going to Peru each year now for six years. I would love to give a presentation in the future to try and take other dentists or assistants. We always need money and dental supply donations. I also give out hundreds of toothbrushes. Any donation is always helpful.

On your travels to Bolivia, what was the most exciting thing to share with your family on this trip? After Peru I went to Bolivia, where I was offered to return with my drones to MAP Tiwanaku. It is a UNESCO site that is still being excavated. They need 3D imaging of ruins, as well as topographical mapping. I will return in December to work with UNESCO and Bolivian authorities. Permits are being worked on now.