A World Medical Mission dental team meets needs in Jesus’ Name during our first-ever dental mission to Honduras.
Patients lined the shaded outer wall by midmorning at Sal y Luz Clinic (Salt and Light) during a weeklong Samaritan’s Purse World Medical Mission dental campaign in Peña Blanca, Honduras.
Sounds of families chatting, children laughing, and volunteers calling out names drifted through the hot air—each day climbing into the 90s—as patients waited for appointments. In the treatment rooms, the whir of drills and suction echoed through the walls while dentists explained each step to their patients, ensuring they felt seen and heard.
Children and parents wait for their opportunity for dental care during our World Medical Mission dental project in Honduras.
Many were there for long-overdue cleanings, fillings, and extractions.
In partnership with Sal y Luz, the team of World Medical Mission dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants, all volunteers, served alongside Honduran dental teams to treat more than 300 patients without access to quality care. A spiritual care team of local and U.S. pastors and chaplains was also on hand to encourage patients and share the Gospel.
We also established mobile clinics in the neighboring city of San Francisco De Yojoa—an under-resourced area with extremely limited access to affordable dental care.
Clinical Skill Brings Gospel Opportunities
We met a woman named Glenda who came in wondering if she’d ever feel relief again from the terrible toothache she’d ignored for far too long. In addition to the cost of seeking care, her busy work schedule, and the ongoing care of her ailing mother, her treatment kept getting delayed.
Then one of Glenda’s sisters heard about the dental campaign taking place near their home. It turned out to be God’s perfect timing and an answer to prayer.
The team worked out of a local school where they provided cleanings, extractions, and other services.
She was clearly nervous walking into the clinic. Like many in the community, she’d rarely seen a dentist. But her visit ended with relief. She was able to smile again without pain as she expressed gratitude.
“I’m very happy because I’m here,” she said. “I’m happy because I got your support.”
Dental hygienist Avery Maize said she joined the trip because she’s passionate about pouring into patients. She was especially enlivened by the opportunity to help young people. Avery took the time to demonstrate to her young patients how to care for their dental health.
“I’ve gotten to spend more time with kids, and that always brings so much joy to me, and I love educating,” she said, recounting how she used hand-held models of the mouth to teach the children “I got the opportunity to go over the basics of brushing and flossing and how to care for their teeth, finishing by pointing to Jesus and making it clear that He is why we’re here.”
During their time in the community, each team member expressed, in their own way, what Maize said motivates her to be a part of the project: “that Jesus loves them so much that He brought us all the way here to their little community.”
Sharing Hope Through Word and Dentistry
A husband-and-wife World Medical Mission volunteer couple, Peter and Raquel Rodriguez, led the spiritual care team, encouraging chaplains from the local community to clearly share the Gospel and encourage those who are already believers to walk genuinely with Jesus.
Peter, a pastor from Denver, Colorado, shared the heart behind the chaplaincy work.
Members of the team minister to and pray for patients.
“The majority of our interactions with people will be listening to them and just being that person that maybe they’ve been hungry for all their life to be able to open up to and share their hurts and their struggles with,” he said. “And then also be a light that leads them towards The Light, which is Jesus, the light of the world.”
The desire to evangelize, to take the Gospel out to the world should be an overflow of Christ’s love for us. Peter said, “It is love for people and it’s a response to being loved by God and what He puts in our heart is really a passion. As Paul says, ‘I’m compelled to share the Gospel.’”
Their team was made up of church leaders, community members, along with other World Medical Mission volunteers faithfully served patients, often sitting with them in the heat for hours on end.
The Body of Christ on a Dental Mission
Daniel Tercero, executive director of Sal y Luz, said he loves the daily opportunity to see followers of Jesus Christ use their talents and skills to expand Kingdom of God. As the dental team set up equipment, filled cavities, provided cleanings, and prepped and sterilized tools, Tercero saw God’s people working harmoniously demonstrating God’s love for Hondurans.
Many families, including these young patients, went home with good dental care and knowledge, toothbrushes and paste, and with the Word of God.
“God gave us different talents and gifts, and He puts all people together with different talents,” he said. “It’s a very diverse team with a lot of talents and it’s very nice to see all that working together.”
The seamless effort was a blessing to a woman named Yolanda who’d come for treatment with her son, Emilio. She said she was grateful she and her son received the care they’d needed for a long time. And she was especially grateful that her son was smiling the whole way through his treatment.
She said it is God who led her to this place to receive quality dental care and encouragement in her faith.
“I just want to say that I am so thankful,” Yolanda said. “I am so grateful for Samaritan’s Purse. I am so thankful to God for bringing us here. I am so happy. God has made me a joyful person.”
