In October 2007, Dr. Chantal Plant and two of her team members, Stephanie and Yazmin, joined the Remote Area Medical Volunteer (RAMV) group on a great adventure to Bolivia, South America.
Their multi-disciplinary mission of 11 professionals and volunteers travelled to deep remote villages in the Bolivian jungle. Many challenges awaited them – such as no electricity or power, no running water and working in a non-sterile environment. Not to mention the challenges of communicating with Indigenous people with their distinct dialect.
The team spent many long hours travelling by boat on the Rio Madre from village to village, to help people with their medical, dental and eye care needs. Dr Plant and her group pulled over 176 teeth in six days of intense work. Extractions are the only dentistry performed in such challenging and remote conditions.
The experience was rich in memories and wonderful encounters. After the trip, Dr. Plant was inspired to join the executive board of RAMV as a dental consultant to help the organization grow.
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