A local dentist’s recent trip to Tanzania is helping to improve dental care in that developing African nation.
Dr. Rich Heideman of Albion, along with two other American dentists, traveled to Tanzania Aug. 21, 2008 for a mission trip. They spent their first few days on safari, seeing the animals and the land.
Then, they went to work. The remainder of their three-week trip was spent working with Tanzanian citizens and the refugees at the two camps there.
The first trip for this project was in November of 2007 to teach tooth extraction to 12 individuals. The mission trips were started in 2006 by an American Catholic Priest. Dr. Heideman was contacted by the American Dental Association, Center for Disease Control and the Health Volunteers Overseas to participate in the mission trip. The trip is also associated with the Red Cross.
