The crates were packed, suitcases zipped, and carry-ons stuffed with donations. We thought we were ready to provide the Hopital Bienfaisance Dental Clinic with a bounty of supplies. Working in an office with a never-ending need, negative profit, and inability to get supplies would lead any professional to frustration. Many times patients are sent away as there are no supplies to treat them. The hospital budget just doesn’t have the wiggle room to accommodate the much-needed supplies and if the clinic does receive approval to purchase, a day's trip to the capital city results in an out of stock shelf. We partnered together with River Oaks Dental and the generosity of colleagues, family, and friends to bring a shipment of supplies we thought would be helpful. What we found out was that what they needed the most was neglected by our own ideas of what we thought they needed. The most requested items from the office we didn’t even think of: x ray film & sterilization bags. The bare necessities to diagnose infection and provide infection control. The clinic graciously accepted the donations - as they are needed, but this awareness was eye opening. It is the little things that we so often take for granted and overlooked that make a big difference in our lives and how we do our jobs.
