Haiti is currently the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Over 6 million Haitians live on less than $2.41 per day. More than 2.5 million Haitians fall below the extreme poverty line of $1.23 per day. In Haiti, there is 1 dentist per 10,000 people, most residing in larger cities. Pignon, Haiti is located on the central plateau of Haiti consisting of roughly 30,000 people. 

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Hopital Bienfaisance is a locally built, operated, and run hospital system within Pignon. The dental clinic is staffed by Haitian dentists and dental assistants. A typical day at the dental clinic consists of seeing adult patients, 60 students for screenings, and 20 students for treatment. The majority of the students screened need to be rescheduled for further treatment, with the first opening over 6 months away. Clearly, the need for oral health care is great. Unfortunately, they lack the financial means to buy supplies or update equipment. They rely primarily on donated supplies and equipment. Our goal is not only to help support their immediate needs, but to help them grow, become a self-sustaining dental office, and ideally profit from the great work they do.   

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The clinic positively impacts the community by offering dental treatment for children and adults who would otherwise have to travel for several hours and/or days through the mountains to reach another dentist. Travel expenses and funds to pay for these services are often times not a viable option for many of the patients in the Pignon community.Their most common dental treatments are extractions (tooth removal), root canals, fillings, and general cleanings. They operate 5 days a week. The office is currently operated by Dr. Jean Petit & Dr. Watson Cesaire with significant help from their two dental assistants.

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