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Tips for dentists considering overseas mission trips:

Dr. Hargrove has learned a great deal about traveling to foreign countries in order to provide charity dental care to residents. The important thing to remember is that preparation is key. In this article he offers some tips for dentists who may be considering their first dental mission trip. Dentists eager to speak to Dr. Hargrove about such a trip are welcome to call him.

1. Find out if the group planning the trip has visited the country before.  If the group is new to dental mission travel, or is visiting a new country, Dr. Hargrove would not recommend the trip for novice dentists.  "Too many things can go wrong even to a group with experience," he said.

 2 . If the group planning the trip is experienced on dental missions, ask someone if the group knows the target country well.  Political connections and letters of recommendation can mean the difference between a successful and a wasted trip. Even with impeccable political connections, one trip by the Christian Medical/Dental Society to Jamaica was delayed because officials refused to release the group's shipment of penicillin from the airport. "Imagine what could happen in a country unknown to a group, or somewhere where anti-American sentiment was running high," said Dr. Hargrove.  "I know of instances where shipments of equipment or drugs were stolen outright."

3 . Check with U.S. government sources, and the planning group, to find out if the target town or village in a country is in a dangerous area.  Again, he recommends that novice dentists stick with a country familiar with mission trips and go with an experienced group.

4 . Discover what immunizations you will need, and what sicknesses from non-immunizable threats such as fly bites are likely or possible.

5 . Identify what procedures you will most likely do overseas, and what equipment you have to perform those procedures that will transport.  Dr. Hargrove can advise dentists about what equipment is essential, and even how to modify procedures for mobile equipment, or equipment for certain procedures.

6 . Talk to experienced mission trippers about simple items you wouldn't necessarily think of that become luxuries when you are at your destination, such as solar showers.

7 . Realize that the cost of mission tripping can be prohibitive.  Dr. Hargrove himself, despite a desire to work overseas again, will not be able to travel until perhaps next year because of this educational and practice debts.  A typical trip, according to Dr. Hargrove, can cost $2,000 for airfare, room, and board, plus the cost of shutting down a practice for five days or two weeks.  A trip to Jamaica might cost somewhat less, while a trip to Africa or Japan can cost $2,000 for airfare along.