TCDM Provides Continuity of Care in the Dominican Republic

In October, eight 4th year TCDM students accompanied by Alan Rosenthal, DMD, Assistant Dean, TCDM Global Health and Community Outreach and Steven Cho, DDS, TCDM Clinical Associate Professor of Dental Medicine, went on an incredible mission to the Dominican Republic. This mission was under the auspices of the dental volunteer organization, World of SMILES. The team included prosthodontists, pediatric dentists, endodontists, oral surgeons, and general dentists. 

“It was an invaluable experience,” said fourth-year student Fatemeh Salimifar. “Some areas are in extreme need of dental services, and we were able to see how life-changing these programs can be. It’s a privilege for us to be able to give to communities.”

Giving Back with World of Smiles

This was the first year that TCDM partnered with World of Smiles, a humanitarian organization that brings medical, dental, and veterinary services to underserved communities worldwide. Unlike many short-term outreach groups, World of Smiles is able to provide continuity of care thanks to established partnerships with local communities: dentists screen children throughout the year, while visiting teams provide the more advanced care that the clinics cannot routinely offer.

“Our students experienced what it was like to give back,” said Dr. Rosenthal. “As members of the medical profession, our mission is to help others. School is a perfect time for these missions, since once our students graduate other responsibilities take over.”

The TCDM team lived on the campus of a boys’ school that, along with a nearby girls’ school, serves roughly 3,000 K–12 students. Two clinical sites—one with two dental chairs and one with four—became their base of operations. Over four intensive clinical days, students treated about one hundred patients, most of them children whose needs ranged from routine fillings to complex extractions.

Providing Continuity of Care

Participants spoke highly of World of Smiles and how the organization provides continuity of care by seeing the same patients during each mission—a structure that deepens trust and allows for long-term treatment planning. “I’ve been on missions before, but this was the first time I was there as a provider,” said Melina Randazzo. “It was an incredible experience. World of Smiles is involved in the community and that’s the most important part. They provide continuity of care by having dentists on staff there, and that lets them really contribute to the health of the country.”

Salimifar’s first assignment was endodontics—an area she already hoped to pursue. “I got to do one procedure,” she said, noting how different a root canal can be when instruments are limited. “It’s interesting to see how an experienced endodontist would work under those circumstances.”

A pediatric rotation the following day paired her with residents from St. Barnabas, who demonstrated techniques for managing young patients with little previous dental exposure. She also spent time with a prosthodontist, where the lack of on-site lab access required careful planning. Appointments had to be combined, and every step needed to account for long gaps between patient visits. The experience reinforced her earlier impression of “how life-changing these programs can be.”

Reshaping What Outreach Can Be

Deepak Manoharan, who was drawn to dentistry because it blends science, engineering, art, and hands-on craftsmanship, said the mission reshaped his understanding of what outreach can be and what it can offer. “It was a phenomenal first mission outreach trip,” he said. He expected a makeshift field operation but instead found an efficient, well-organized clinic. “They have an incredible setup in the DR. It wasn’t so MacGyver-like. They had a really good system and clinic in place for us to work in.”

In addition to restorations and extractions, the team focused heavily on prevention. Students placed sealants, instructed children on brushing techniques, and applied silver diamine fluoride, “this material that stops cavities after an early start.” They also discussed nutrition and how diet affects oral health. “It also taught me gratitude for the care we have in the U.S.” he said.

Student Dharina Rathod described gaining “a new level of confidence” from navigating clinical challenges without the level of oversight she was accustomed to in school. She credited Touro for preparing her well: “Our faculty has done a great job.” The mission also refined her clinical mindset. “Each person is different,” she said. “My takeaway is to treat each case as an entirely new case. Even if it’s the same number three occlusal filling, it’s case by case.”

For Dr. Rosenthal, the mission reinforced the importance of compassion and service in dental training. “This mission trip was extremely rewarding from both a student and patients' perspective, and I hope to partner with the organization again next year”. Dr. Rosenthal also sees potential for additional Touro schools to participate in missions to more underserved countries.