This sight made my day yesterday. Gokulraj, in the brown shirt (with Vijayabalaji in blue), has matching front teeth! He knocked off half of a front tooth last year in dance class, resulting in a chipped smile for him and stitches for the kid whose forehead harbored the tooth.
I had resigned myself to the idea that he'd be going through life without ever having a chance for tooth repair. Enter the dentists. Three American dentists-two of them happening to be twin brothers-and their wives are volunteering their services here for five days. They hit the ground running, seeing 73 patients in just over a day.
Here's Akash, one more chipped-tooth survivor.
I might not mind the dentist so much if he let me lounge in a lawn chair.
Poor Sarathy, whose tears started even before the examination. Many of the children have never seen a dentist and weren't sure what to expect.
Priya rolled her eyes and groaned at me for having the impudence to take a picture of a teenager in this pitiable condition.
Next up: braces for Kanmani. CJ, I am counting on you to finish college, graduate from dental school, specialize in orthodontics, and move to Rising Star! Don't keep me hanging.
One of the best aspects of being here is the chance to encounter so many compassionate and altruistic people. Thank you for rescuing us from tartar, abscesses, and rotting mouths.
I had resigned myself to the idea that he'd be going through life without ever having a chance for tooth repair. Enter the dentists. Three American dentists-two of them happening to be twin brothers-and their wives are volunteering their services here for five days. They hit the ground running, seeing 73 patients in just over a day.
Here's Akash, one more chipped-tooth survivor.
I might not mind the dentist so much if he let me lounge in a lawn chair.
Poor Sarathy, whose tears started even before the examination. Many of the children have never seen a dentist and weren't sure what to expect.
Priya rolled her eyes and groaned at me for having the impudence to take a picture of a teenager in this pitiable condition.
Next up: braces for Kanmani. CJ, I am counting on you to finish college, graduate from dental school, specialize in orthodontics, and move to Rising Star! Don't keep me hanging.
One of the best aspects of being here is the chance to encounter so many compassionate and altruistic people. Thank you for rescuing us from tartar, abscesses, and rotting mouths.
