Tandlægerne

The Dentists
Ombord på skibet er der et tandlægeteam på ca. 12-14 personer. De tager ud til et lokalt hospital, hvor de har et lokale tilrådighed, som de bruger til tandlægeklinik.
For nylig tog jeg med teamet ud en formiddag for at hjælpe med strømforsyningen. De har egne generatorer derude, men havde dog problemer med at holde alt kørende. Det viste sig hurtigt, at de havde 3 generatorer på i alt 13,5 kW til at trække en belastning som ofte var ca. 16-18 kW. Det er jo ikke godt, så de måtte have en generator mere derud.
Onboard the ship is a dental team consisting of 12-14 persons. They drive to a local hospital where a facility is available for them to use as a dental clinic. Resently I went out with the team in the morning to help with the power supply. They have their own generators out there; but experienced some problems by having all the equipment attached to the generators. I experienced that they had 3 generators (equals) 13.5 kW to pull a load which often were app. 16-18 kW. This is not a very good solution and therefore they had to have another generator brought out.
Her ses kompressorne, som laver luft til ejecterne, således at der kan suges mundvand ud under behandlingerne. En lokal teknikker hjælper tandlægerne med at sætte op hver dag.
Here are the compressors that make compressed air for the ejectors and thereby ability to suck out liquid from the mouths during the operations. A local technician helps the dentists setting up the equipment every day.

Tandlæge-assistenterne er klar til patienterne, som står i kø udenfor hospitalet hver morgen.
The dental assistants are ready to receive the patients lined up outside the hospital every morning.

Her renses og steriliseres alle instrumenterne med damp.
Here are all the instruments being cleaned and sterilized with steam.

Alle behandlingerne udføres selvfølgelig gratis - ingen har råd til at gå til tandlæge. Med klinikken her fordobles antallet af de 3 autoriserede tandlæger i Liberia. De fleste behandlinger medfører udtrækning af tænder på personer, som har lidt af tandpine i årevis. Jeg så nogle af de første patienter blive behandlet, og jeg er virkelig overrasket over, hvor hurtigt og effektivt de arbejder.
All apointments are of course free of charge, nobody afforts to go to a dentist. With this clinic the number of dentists in Liberia is dobbled. Most treatments involve pulling out teeth on people who have been suffering of toothache for years. I saw some of the first patients treated that day and it really surprices me how fast and effective the team works.
Peter