Our first ever World Medical Mission mobile dentistry team experiences the powerful impact of Shalom Medical Center’s daily obedience to God.
“Here, if there’s a 1 percent chance that the sealant will work, we do it,” said Dr. Fred Zoch, sharing wisdom from over 30 years of doing dentistry around the globe.
As the first-ever World Medical Mission dental team makes their way along the bumpy road to set up the day’s mobile clinic site, Dr. Zoch shares the importance of dental care for overall health.
“Many American people don’t realize how many people die from dental infections,” Dr. Zoch continues. “If you have a massive infection, your whole body’s gone down. Dental care is a part of the body.”
The mobile clinic bus from our partner hospital, Shalom Family Medical Center, follows behind the van carrying our team weaving through beautiful mountain villages greyed in the mist of a soft morning rain.
Dr. Fred Zoch gathers the supplies he needs and heads into the dental bus to care for a patient.
This inaugural World Medical Mission dental team will use the refurbished school bus turned clinic to treat, pray for, and serve nearly 300 patients in underserved communities.
World Medical Mission sends volunteer dentists, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to serve short-term in partner mission hospitals and other medical facilities all over the world.
Dr. Zoch provides fillings and extractions aboard the mobile clinic bus with the same quality of those he completes in the United States.
Excellence Builds Trust and a Gospel Platform
A father named Ricardo brought his daughters for a cleaning—a procedure commonplace in the United States but essential for health. Ricardo looked on as our dental hygienist began her work.
The compassion and the quality of the dental care provided by Shalom and our team are what drew Ricardo to bring his daughters and entrust us with their care.
“I brought my daughters here because I feel very comfortable with the staff,” he said. “I feel very happy for the help you have given us, the attention you have given us, and the kindness of each one of you.”
Throughout the week, fathers were the minority of patients seen at the clinics, but Ricardo decided to bring his family to receive care after coming to trust the staff.
While dental hygienists in the United States often routinely complete their care in around thirty minutes, in places where some patients have never received a cleaning, Marya, a dental hygienist, can spend up to an hour and a half or more with a single patient.
Shalom Family Medical Center’s staff have worked hard to build trust in the communities they serve. As Shalom faithfully works in the community on a daily basis, God opens unique opportunities to make a long-term sustainable impact. World Medical Mission teams are now able to come alongside this center and strengthen their work through short-term dentistry teams.
Dr. Zoch says their work in the mobile clinic will help prevent dental complications directly linked to cardiac issues and other life-threatening health conditions. He volunteers with World Medical Mission because it allows him to serve without lowering his standard of care.
“What I’ve done on this trip is just like what I would do in the United States. And that makes me proud. Our motto is ‘excellence.’”
Between patients, Marya, the team’s dental hygienist, allows a curious young girl to try the dental chair and teaches her how to brush her teeth.
The team believes this excellence in dentistry emulates the character of Jesus Christ and creates opportunities for spiritual healing. Peter Rodriguez, the team’s pastor, echoes Dr. Zoch in this.
“We see it in Jesus’ ministry. He would address people’s immediate crisis—and, through meeting that basic need, open their hearts and willingness to see God’s goodness, and then lead them to the truth. That’s what we’re doing with dentistry,” Peter says. Following treatment, Peter prays with and encourages patients, many facing grief, temptation, and other spiritual battles. “To see God work in a way where people come in heavy laden with a burden. You just see it on their face and then they leave with a smile.”
In the remote mountains of San Miquel, El Salvador, Pastor Peter Rodriguez (middle) and Marta Zoch (right) provide spiritual support for a patient.
God’s work in El Salvador through Shalom shows how living a life of long-term impact is built through consistent step-by-step obedience to God. Madison Strausbaugh, the World Medical Mission specialty teams program manager, says it is the daily “yes” to God’s call that makes the largest impact on the people and communities we serve.
“It just takes one ‘yes,’ and then the next ‘yes,’ and the Lord knows the best fit for us,” she said. “Then they begin to gain trust in how the Lord’s leading them.”
We encourage you to ask God what He is asking you to say “yes” to today. Where is He asking you to serve? What is the next step of obedience He is inviting you to take?
“God is taking us step by step towards His purpose and His plan,” Pastor Peter said. “I think every step is a destination, and we just walk in obedience.”
Madison Strausbaugh, the World Medical Mission specialty teams program manager, brings joy to children waiting to receive dental care from our team.
