Panama
Mobile Dental Clinics
Limited access to adequate dental professionals, facilities, supplies and equipment makes dental care in both rural and indigenous communities throughout Panama one of its largest health care challenge. Despite the importance of oral health, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) has revealed that 92% of the population suffers from various dental diseases due to poor oral hygiene and eating habits. With limited to no access to care in rural areas, an enormous population is left in chronic pain and at risk for infection and other related disease.
In order to improve dental care access in remote areas, chapters will work with our team of local dentists to implement mobile dental clinics directly inside our partner communities. Volunteers work under the direction of our local professionals to support triage, intake and pharmacy while also having the opportunity to shadow our dentists perform extractions, cleanings, fillings and administer fluoride treatments. Volunteers also take the lead in delivering oral health and cavity prevention workshops.
Dental Brigade –
7 Day Sample Schedule
On the first day after arriving in Panama, volunteers will learn about rural Panamanian healthcare and economic needs during their Holistic Model day, which can be focused on either Medical, Business, Public Health, or Water programs. Then volunteers will prepare for the mobile clinic by packing supplies and medications into appropriate doses for the following clinic days. For the next four days, volunteers will shadow dentists throughout the clinics, where they will provide assistance to hundreds of community members. The dental clinics consist of five stations; the surgical station, the intake station, the cleaning station, the post-op instructions station, and the education station. The volunteers will shadow a dental professional in the surgical station, and be assisting in the remaining four. At the end of the Brigade, volunteers will have a chance to reflect on their Brigade experience and ensure all data from the clinic days are inputted into the openMRS system.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up & Transport to Lodging Facility | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | Transport to Community | |||
| 9:00am | Cultural Immersion Activity | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | Transport to Airport | ||
| 10:00am | ||||||||
| 11:00am | ||||||||
| 12:00pm | Airport Check In and Departure | |||||||
| 1:00pm | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |||
| 2:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | Dental Clinic | |||
| 3:00pm | Medications Packing & Charla Preparation | |||||||
| 4:00pm | ||||||||
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | Transport to Lodging Facility | ||||
| 6:00pm | Settle In | Program Activities (Suture Workshop, Dental Procedures Practice, Interactive Activities preparation) | Medications Inventory & Supplies Packing | |||||
| 7:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | ||
| 8:00pm | Dental Program Introduction & Holistic Model Overview | Mock Clinic | Reflection (Social Determinants of Health & Oral main community diseases) | Reflection (HCP exchange) | Reflection (Measuring your dental brigade impact) | Final Reflection, Pack Up! | ||
| 9:00pm | ||||||||
| 10:00pm | Lodging Facilities Rules | Data Informatics introduction | Data Informatics | |||||
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Airport Pick up & Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 8:00am | |
| 9:00am | |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | Settle In |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Dental Program Introduction & Holistic Model Overview |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Lodging Facilities Rules |
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Cultural Immersion Activity |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 3:00pm | Medications Packing & Charla Preparation |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Mock Clinic |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Data Informatics introduction |
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Dental Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Dental Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Program Activities (Suture Workshop, Dental Procedures Practice, Interactive Activities preparation) |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Reflection (Social Determinants of Health & Oral main community diseases) |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Data Informatics |
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Dental Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Dental Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Program Activities (Suture Workshop, Dental Procedures Practice, Interactive Activities preparation) |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Reflection (HCP exchange) |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Data Informatics |
| Day 5 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Dental Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Dental Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Program Activities (Suture Workshop, Dental Procedures Practice, Interactive Activities preparation) |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Reflection (Measuring your dental brigade impact) |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Data Informatics |
| Day 6 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | Transport to Community |
| 9:00am | Dental Clinic |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm | Dental Clinic |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | Transport to Lodging Facility |
| 6:00pm | Medications Inventory & Supplies Packing |
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm | Final Reflection, Pack Up! |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | Data Informatics |
| Day 7 | |
|---|---|
| 7:00am | Breakfast |
| 8:00am | |
| 9:00am | Transport to Airport |
| 10:00am | |
| 11:00am | |
| 12:00pm | Airport Check In and Departure |
| 1:00pm | |
| 2:00pm | |
| 3:00pm | |
| 4:00pm | |
| 5:00pm | |
| 6:00pm | |
| 7:00pm | |
| 8:00pm | |
| 9:00pm | |
| 10:00pm | |
Costs and Fundraising
In order to participate in a Dental Brigade, all volunteers must meet a Donation Goal by fundraising as part of their commitment to a Brigades Chapter. This is not considered a payment for a specific trip, but support towards Global Brigades’ Holistic Model.
Donation Goals for Panama Brigades start at $2,500 USD*.
Once you meet a set Donation Goal, you’re eligible to join us on the ground to see your fundraising efforts put into action by participating in a Dental Brigade.
When you participate in a Dental Brigade, your airfare, ground transportation, food, lodging, and emergency insurance are all covered. The funding you raised also supports all the necessary costs for program implementation, such as equipment, local dentists, pharmacists, translators, and support staff.
Global Brigades’ travel team will work with your Brigade to book airfare**.
Once a volunteer meets their Donation Goal, they have up to 1 year to participate in a Dental Brigade.
*coming from outside the US? Talk to our team about donation goals.
** for UK and Canadian Chapters, airfare is not included in your Donation Goal
Donation Goals for 2023-2024 Panama 7-Day Dental Brigades
| Volunteers | Donation Goal (USD) | Donation Goal (CAD) | Donation Goal (GBP) |
| 14+ | $2,500 USD | Talk to our team about CAD donation goals. | Talk to our team about GBP donation goals. |
*Chapters with 5-13 volunteers must be paired with another chapter.
Sustainable Health Fund
A portion of each Donation Goal supports our Sustainable Health Fund which enables year-round health care in partner communities carried out by our local teams. Specifically, the Fund supports initiatives of the medical program that enable sustainable transitions such as the Community Health Workers/Entrepreneurs, Patient Referrals, Community Pharmacy, and the ongoing impact evaluation of the program.
Safety
Volunteer safety will always be our absolute top priority. Global Brigades recently engaged Askari International Security, an industry leader in international risk assessment, to complete a comprehensive risk/safety assessment of all brigade operations. A full explanation of safety precautions and procedures can be found on our “Safety & Insurance” page.
In Panama
- Global Brigades is an active member of OSAC (the Overseas Security Advisory Committee) and receives up-to-date security and safety briefings from the U.S. State Department;
- Established relationship with Senafront to provide security escorts to those groups working in the Darien region;
- Full-time local Global Brigades medical personnel on-call at all times;
- Adherence to the IVPA standards of international volunteering.
Lodging Facilities
Global Brigades does an annual safety review of all lodging facility partners each year. Lodging facilities provide pillows, bedsheets and towels. Facilities have showers, toilets and sinks with running water (no hot water) as well as filtered clean drinking water dispensers onsite. 24-hour security is provided at all facilities. Conditions are most similar to a comfortable summer camp, with dormitory-style sleeping and shared bathrooms.
Dental Brigades are assigned to lodging facilities based on proximity to the partner community they will be working with.
Asamblea de Dios
Campamento Asambleas De Dios is a large facility located in San Carlos, Panama just 2 hours outside of Panama City. Here, volunteers can take in a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. GB Panama has been utilizing this facility since March 2015.
Emergency medical care is available in San Carlos, approximately 2 minutes from this facility.
El Palmar
The El Palmar hostel sits along the Pan-American highway, between Lago Bayano and the town of Torti. Here, volunteers can enjoy beautiful landscapes. GB Panama has utilized El Palmar for several years and has housed hundreds of brigaders.
Emergency medical care is available in Torti.
Hotel Avicar
Hotel Avicar sits along the Pan-American highway in the center of the town of Torti. Here, volunteers can enjoy beautiful views of green mountains and pastures, as well as experience a rural town in East Panama.
Emergency medical care is available in Torti.
Hotel Tonosi
Hotel Tonosi is located on the Pan-American highway in Panama’s Meteti sector. The facility includes cozy, air conditioned rooms that fit four to five people, a covered terrace with countryside landscapes, and a reputation for great food and hospitality.
Pro Niños
Pro Niños was among the first lodges utilized by GB in the Darien area of Panama. The facility includes wooded areas and open recreational areas that encourage volunteers to connect with nature.
Iguana Eco Resort
La Iguana Eco Resort is a spacious facility that connects volunteers to nature. Various activities, including hiking and swimming, are available on the property. The facility includes cozy rooms with air conditioning and is located near the city of Penonomé.
Campamento Oasis de Bendición
Just as its name implies, Campamento Oasis de Bendición is a wonderful place to recharge after a clinic day. The facility includes beautiful landscapes with a terrace for meetings, space for indoor recreational activities, and cabins that encourage coexistence among fellow volunteers. It’s located just a few meters from the main road.
Hotel Ojos del Rio
Hotel Ojos del Rio sits in the center of Panama City, about 40 minutes from Panama’s international airport. Here, volunteers can enjoy a beautiful view of Panama City’s skyline. Global Brigades Panama began using this hotel in 2018 to accommodate any brigades that needed to stay in Panama City. Brigades do not typically stay in Panama City; Global Brigades Panama only uses this facility during emergencies and cases involving extenuating circumstances. Emergency medical care is available in several hospitals in the city.
Hotel Novotel
Novotel sits in the center of Panama City, about 40 minutes from Panama’s international airport. Here, brigaders enjoy a beautiful view of Panama City’s skyline. Global Brigades Panama began using this hotel in 2018 to accommodate any brigades that needed to stay in Panama City. Brigades do not typically stay in Panama City; Global Brigades Panama only uses this facility during emergencies and cases involving extenuating circumstances. Emergency medical care is available in several hospitals in the city.
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This DONATION is non-refundable
This DONATION is non-refundable Global Brigades, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation will be used to further Global Brigades' mission and will be allocated toward the program you selected. This donation will not be utilized to fulfill a chapter or a volunteer's fundraising goal. Read Global Brigades, Inc's full Donation Refund Policy here.
Looking to donate to support a volunteer's fundraising goal? Find their Global Brigades Chapter by searching our Chapters map and then selecting their upcoming brigade. If you need help finding their chapter, you can ask the volunteer to send you their brigade's specific website link or you can contact us.
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