Hello everyone,
I am writing to invite you to help us establish a DENTAL IMPLANT PROGRAM at La Fuente clinic. We see this new initiative as strategic in advancing our clinic’s vision of extending the gospel through excellent healthcare while training future professionals to heal in Jesus’ name. We also believe the potential income from implants will help us supplement care for those who can’t afford it.
Why implants? First, there is great need. 6 of every 10 patients could benefit from implants. Second, the program would allow us to provide a unique learning opportunity for our students. We believe as we train these future dentists in a gospel-centered model, they will become professionals who will practice their art with compassion and excellence, thus benefitting this community. Lastly, implants allow a wealth redistribution that benefits our poorer patients. Last year we witnessed a 67% increase in dental patients, and some of those clients have considerable resources. By providing an excellent service at a fair cost, we generate revenue that we then use to subsidize care for those who can’t afford it. Instead of perpetually needing foreign donations to stay afloat, this business-as-missions model moves us towards self-sustainability.
The program’s implementation would require $14,580. This includes initial training course tuition, implant motor and accessory parts, surgical kit, hand-pieces, bone and grafting material, and 16 implants. I plan to attend the training course in April and then train my Peruvian colleagues, Dr. Ruth Nancy and Dr. Vladi, who are eager to learn and begin using this new skill. Their competency will, in turn, ensure that all of our future dental students have an opportunity to learn this skill.
In 2017 our clinic purchased a rotary endodontic system that I had used for years in the U.S. Happily, I was able to train my colleagues who now not only use the system but teach it to our students. We believe we can have similar success with implants.
Over the last year of volunteering as a general dentist at La Fuente I have been so encouraged by our staff’s desire to care for those in need. Need arrives in different forms to our clinic; often dirty and poor, at times well-dressed and affluent. Regardless of socio-economic status, we know that all are dead in their sins without Jesus. We listen, we share the hope of Christ, we pray with patients, and through excellent dentistry we try to extend God’s love and grace while educating the dental students that rotate with us. We believe that this new program will advance our goal of advancing God’s kingdom in Cusco. We pray that God will excite your heart and move you to partner with us to make this goal a reality.
Click the following link to give:
https://mtw.org/projects/pe-la-fuente-centro-de-salud-integral
In His Name,
Joshua A. DuBose DMD
