Thoughts after the MOM Project

Life is made up of endless experiences. Each experience adds to the person I am, and the one that I shall become. My experiences of the MOM project at Roanoke, VA made me see some things in a new light, and come to appreciate the things that I have had in my life and most overall, how I can contribute to the society in small ways. When I arrived to the convention center shortly before 6 A.M. there were several hundred people waiting on line in cold and dark. I was overwhelmed to realize how great the need for dental treatment is in the city. Some had not seen a dentist in years; others come to events like this on a regular basis as the only source of their dental care. There was a profound dental care need for low-income, uninsured, and underserved people.
I teamed up with my classmate and immediately started seeing patients. I did not only clean the teeth, but I also evaluated the oral cavity for any other problems that were present. In addition, I emphasized the need to floss and brush properly in the hopes of preventing some of the disease and pain. Although I had had only a few hours sleep night before, I did not feel it while I was working, but once I stopped it hit me hard. Standing on a concrete floor made my legs sore and seemed challenge and my stomach growled sometimes. But these were so insignificant when compared to the needs I was serving. I was humble and deeply touched when the patient hugged me and said, thank you at the end of the treatment.
My participation was a small speck of dust, but what I gained was invaluable. Not only I had the chance to reach out and help people who had extreme dental needs, at the same time it further enriched me with a service-mindedness as dental hygiene profession. It did not only added to what I learned at the school, but it also taught me a lot about myself that I have an ability to share joy with those less fortunate than myself.