I know I haven’t blogged in a few days, but I have been very tired. Volunteering at the Dental Office Monday through Saturday for five to six hours a day can really take a toll on me. However, the reason I go so much is because I truly enjoy it and I learn a lot. I think the doctor enjoys me being there because he always asks me if I will be there the next day. He has invited me and Amna to his home this Saturday to meet his family and to hang out in his pool. Dr. George is an example of a wealthy person in The Gambia. If there is a misconception that all people in Africa are poor, that is not true. People here are either wealthy or poor; there really aren’t many middle class people here. A few days ago I was able to watch Dr. George perform many surgeries where he did a lot of reconstructing his patients mouths. He told one woman that he was not going to charge her full price; this allowed me to really see that Dr. George is not interested in money; he just wants the best for his patients. This reminded me once again why I want to embark into this profession; I am passionate about helping people and making a difference in the world. Dentistry will allow me to serve those who are in need of oral health care domestically and internationally. Dr. George is becoming more and more trusting of Amna and I. We now know how to set up the X-Rays for him to use. We also know how to read them; I have spotted decay and diseases. I can also spot 1st Class cavities, where the cavity is surrounded by the tooth, as well as 2nd Class cavities where the cavity is on the side of the tooth, and the tooth is actually missing a side. I also have knowledge of how and when to use anesthetics. For example, when treating the top teeth, you use a method called “Infiltration”, where you put the anesthetic in many different places between the nerves in the top gums. However, when treating the bottom teeth, you use a method called “Block”, where you focus on the certain area that is being treated. Dr. George also taught me a few medical terminology terms like “apicoectomy”, which implies the surgical removal of the tip of the root of the problem tooth. I will say that I am learning a lot about dentistry from Dr. George and I am very thankful. I have helped Dr. George with his data for his patients. I organized his charts in alphabetical order, and tomorrow I will be creating an excel document for him to keep track of all his patients’ records: their balances, their treatments, and their insurance claims if they exist.
On another note: I took a trip to the market where I purchased many gifts for my family and friends. I had to take two taxies just to get to the market. One thing about The Gambia is that it is heavily depended on Taxis because many people do not own cars. The expense to ride in a taxi is 7 Dalasis per town. So for me to go to the market I had to take a Taxi from Bajilo (where I’m staying) to Senegambia, then I had to get out to get into another taxi, then I took that taxi to Serrekunda, which is where the market is located. The total for that trip is 14 Dalasis, which is very cheap in American dollars. (1 U.S. Dollar = 27 to 28 Gambian Dalasis) I had to pay the same to return home. One thing to remember if you ever travel here is to not get charged too much for Taxis. One man told me “You have American skin so you pay big American money”. I told him “Ok I am American, but you either give me a ride, or you will not make any Gambian money today”. He stopped and thought about it, and said “Get in”. I happily got in, and rode home. He understood that he would not have any income at all if he refused to take my money at the same rate that he charged the Gambians.
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