Saving smiles in Vietnam

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
QUANG TRI PROVINCE, Vietnam --  If anyone knows the importance of a smile, it's a dentist.

And dentists like Maj. (Dr.) Diep Le, who is taking part in the humanitarian assistance mission Operation Pacific Angel 2009 here, are doing every thing possible to save the smiles of local Vietnamese people during their 10-day mission.

Dr. Le, a reservist from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was 5 years old. The doctor jumped at the opportunity to return to her native land because of the connection she has with her Vietnamese heritage.

"Being in Vietnam is an opportunity for me to do something I absolutely love, for people I have such a meaningful connection with," said Dr. Le. "It is an experience that I'll remember for a very, very long time."

Dr. Le is part of a team of Air Force medical professionals and civil engineers in Vietnam Sept. 15 to 24 to provide humanitarian assistance in cooperation with local authorities to Quang Tri Province residents during Operation Pacific Angel 2009. The operation is a joint and combined humanitarian and civic assistance program aimed at improving military civic cooperation between the United States and countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The dentists are providing a full range of dental care, something rarely seen in such remote locations.

"Our primary concern when deployed to a remote location is to relieve pain and remove anything that impacts the overall health and well being of a patient," said Dr. Le. "This mission is very unique in that we are able to provide Vietnamese patients the same diverse care American patients are accustomed to receiving in dental clinics throughout United States.

"That makes me smile; that makes my patients smile."

In addition to comprehensive dental care, the medical team will provide general medical care to Quang Tri Province residents to include care for chronic illnesses, acute illnesses, diabetes, hypertension, and treatment for parasites, along with routine dental and optometry care. Engineering efforts will include plumbing, electrical and structural work at the Thuy Medical Center.

The medical and civil engineer teams are working alongside the local East Meets West Foundation, a non-governmental organization that believes every person deserves access to clean water, proper medical treatment and a solid education.

The team has already seen nearly 1,600 patients since opening their doors on Sept. 17, with more than 5,000 patients expected over the duration of the mission.

Pacific Angel is a Pacific Air Forces operation led by 13th Air Force at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. The joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation is conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility to support U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts.