El Salvador Dental Mission Trip A. Stuart Loos, D.D.S. Emory University – Bachelor of Science in Biology Emory University – Doctor of Dental Surgery Howard University – Certificate in Orthodontics George Dave Mason, D.D.S. Tyler Slate (Pre-Dental) Bachelor of Science in Biology
El Salvador
Citala, El Salvador
Geography • El Salvador is the smallest of the central American countries, with a surface area roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts. • Located on fertile volcanic plateau. • The only central American country without an Atlantic coast line.
History • Pipil Indians migrated to the region in the 11 th century, they were descendants of the Aztecs. • Pedro de Alvarado, a lieutenant of Cortés’s, conquers El Salvador in 1525. • El Salvador, with the other countries of Central America, declared its independence from Spain on Sept. 15, 1821, and was part of a federation of Central American states until that union dissolved in 1838. • For decades after its independence, El Salvador experienced numerous revolutions and wars against other Central American republics. From 1931 to 1979 El Salvador was ruled by a series of military dictatorships.
The “Football War” • In 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras after Honduran landowners deported several thousand Salvadorans. • The four-day war became known as the “football war” because it broke out during a soccer game between the two countries.
El Salvador is not a tropical paradise. • Gang violence has turned El Salvador into the murder capital of the world. – Two main gangs: MS-13 and Barrio 18.
• The gangs have turned the capital city of San Salvador into two warring factions. • The violence is so great that a forensic team patrols the streets every night to pick up dead bodies to analyze at the morgue.
Logistics
San Salvador Airport
Loading Up!
Destination
Making Friends‌
“Wining” with management
Crossing the Border
Cathedral in Guatemala
Multidisciplinary Diagnostics and Treatment Planning
Meeting the Mayor of Citala
Working with the 20/30 Club
Bring your head light!
Diagnosis??
Ectrodactyly/Split Hand Feet Malformation (SHFM)
Rampant Decay
Extraction and Amalgam
Decay…
Composite looks nicer!
The Town!
Drugs and Shell Holes!
Amigas!
Going away party ď Œ
Feast!
The Crew!
Work hard…
Play Harder!!
But don’t play too hard, you may do jail time!