CDMA Students Provide Essential Dental Care on Service Trip to Tonga
Pili Peters (CDMA '25) describes traveling to Polynesia to provide free dental services
(Left to right, top row): Chi Le, Tasha Boyce, Taylor Burchfield, Dr. Melanie Bauer, Pili Peters, Ki Tingey
Dr. John Barnes, Dr. Steven Call, and Casey Orr.
By Pili Peters (CDMA ’25)
After a long five-year wait due to the pandemic, Midwestern University’s College of Dental Medicine – Arizona was finally able to reinstate its dental service trips. On November 14, 2024, ten fourth-year dental students, three faculty members, and an alumnus embarked on a 14-day journey to Tonga, which is located in Polynesia.
Our group carried checked luggage filled with essential dental supplies to help restock the clinic and ensure we were well-prepared to provide care to the local community. The day after our arrival, we set up the clinic and met the warm and welcoming staff who were volunteering at the time: Karen, an American RDH, along with Heu and Ofa, both native missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The clinic consisted of four dental chairs in an open space, as well as a separate room containing two additional chairs. We designated the enclosed area as our endodontic (root canal) station and used the other four chairs for general treatment. Additionally, we brought tools and materials to fabricate replacement partial dentures for those in need.
From Monday to Friday, we left our residence around 7:00 A.M., making a daily stop at the bakery for delicious pastries before heading to the clinic. Upon arrival, we set up barriers and instruments for the day. Patients were seen on a first-come, first-served basis, and then we scheduled appointments from the second day onward for those requiring root canals to better organize our workflow. Patients in need of extractions had impressions taken and were given appointments for Thursday or Friday to receive their replacement prostheses, whether a flipper or a partial denture.
Over the course of our trip, we provided care to a diverse range of patients—entire families, from grandparents to children as young as four years old. In total, we performed over 400 procedures, treating an average of 50 patients per day.
Every patient we treated was incredibly kind. Most spoke English, and those who didn’t often brought a family member to translate. Culturally, it was common for them to remove their shoes before sitting in the dental chair. Many were so appreciative of our presence that they even brought us small gifts as tokens of gratitude.
For some, this was their first time seeing a dentist. Others came in experiencing pain, while a few had prior dental work that needed repair. The most rewarding moments were when we were able to restore a patient’s smile, whether by replacing missing front teeth, fixing a broken prosthesis, or adding a tooth to an existing partial denture. Seeing their joy and gratitude was an unforgettable experience.
Beyond providing dental care, we had the opportunity to explore the island and immerse ourselves in Tongan culture. This trip was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in dental school, and I’m grateful that CDMA can once again offer these service trips. Witnessing first-hand the immense need for dental care and knowing that we have the skills to make a real difference in people’s lives was truly inspiring!
