2010 “saw the first team of Dr. Stewart Gillies and Dr. Paul Walsh” arriving in Haiti to develop a response to the earthquake.  

• “We travelled extensively around the country, visiting hospitals, schools and tent cities, then meeting with non-governmental organizations, dentists, and journalists to develop a plan ensuring a measured and effective response. It turned into an eventful trip. By any standards it had been a long day…….the rest is history.”

The Foundation is launched as an incorporated entity St. John’s, NL, Canada

The Canadian International Dental Foundation announces Canada Revenue Agency recognition as a Canadian Registered Charity

• CRA Charities Directorate – CIDF

Funding secured from the dental community, the dental industry and others

• While we are dependent on financial and support in kind from many sources, we have sustained out activities in Haiti for ten years. At this time CIDF remains strong and we look forward to continued future support.

CIDF adopts an approach of accompanying our Haitian colleagues on their journey towards dental independence.

• While the world waits patiently for the political situation to settle, which may well take a decade or more, the health of the population was being put on hold. Time was of the essence.

A plan develops as to how best respond to the need

• The advice of the World Dental Federation was to “improve the oral health status of the population served and increase the availability of health care on a continuing basis through sustained activities”.  In Haiti, there are few dentists serving a population of about 11 million people with only about 1% of the population having access to care. The earthquake had destroyed so many homes, the infra structure was fragile. However the Dental School in Haiti was intact.  

Strategic partnerships are established to enhance our work in Haiti

• The effort to enhance the medical and dental health of the Haitian population is greatly amplified by or partners. The use of local knowledge, security and advice allows us to amplify our response.  Our partners have the experience and ability to deliver assistance within the culture of Haiti.  We have spent time developing and building strong relationships of trust and mutual respect.
• The Dental School in Port-au-Prince
• Partners in Health
• George Steins Foundation

Projects are identified 

• Subsequent to completing our due diligence it was time to get to work at the Dental School in Port-au-Prince, working with Partners in Health/Zanmi la Sante, and providing mission trips around the country.

Mission trips 

• CIDF has been involved with 12 mission trips to Haiti (and one to Africa). Teams of as many 15 professionals have travelled much of the country, taking all the supplies and necessary equipment, providing dental care often to remote places that have never seen a dentist.

The Dental School in Port-au-Prince

• Our technician (and Board member) Dave Badcock installs the first panoramic xray machine in the country. We also delivered supplies and equipment.

Delivery of educational material and other equipment

• Through the wonders of the Internet, course material in Pathology, Oral Medicine, Pedodontics etc. are sent to the Dental School in Port-au-Prince. 
• CIDF sends two Intraoral and a Panoramic Xray machine to the Stines Foundation. 
• A team from Patterson Dental fly down to configure and install the equipment.

Dental specialists present courses at the Dental School in Port-au-Prince

• CIDF facilitates lectures of course material in the dental school, with  Dr. Dan Price, Dr. Geoff Smith, Dr. Trang Nguyen, Dr. Becky Olacke, Verna Roberts and Dr. Shuang Liu, presenting courses in their chosen specialties.

CIDF delivers and installs a three chair ‘Dental Clinic in a Crate’ to St. Nicholas Hospital in St. Marc, Haiti.

• Long term solutions require support and appropriate infrastructure, the third component of CIDF’s model. The goal is to help equip dentists in the country and build clinics. Recently for example, the Foundation established a clinic in Saint-Marc, a community in western Haiti about an hour’s drive north of the capital.  “We wired it. We plumbed it. We provided materials, dental chairs a generator, etc. Everything that was needed was in place in a week” says Dr Gillies.  Now three dentists are working there. “We just keep on assisting them with education and equipment, then let them get on with it” he adds.

Dean of the Dental School in Port-au-Prince, Dr. Sam Prophete, visits Newfoundland 

• As the keynote speaker at the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association Oral Health Convention, he speaks about the need for dental care in Haiti and the work of CIDF on CBC radio and television. Dr. Prophete describes our recently installed dental clinic “as a model to be followed”.

CIDF delivers computers to the Dental School in Port-au-Prince, Community Schools and our Partners in Haiti

• Triware Technologies Inc., an industry leading technology and support provider here in St. John’s, NL,  from time to time has good used computer equipment available.  Staff at Triware have generously cleaned and fully loaded these machines with appropriate software at their own expense.  In total we have sent over seventy laptop and desktop computers to Haiti.

Dental mission trip with hygienists provides preventive care

• Teams travel around the country placing fissure seals and fluoride treatment. 
• Monseur le Caiman, thrills children with his antics, presenting toothbrushes and oral health education.

An innovative collaboration with the Gathering Place in St. John’s, NL,  is developed as CIDF pursues further projects both at home and abroad

• As we become recognized for our success, we are invited to assist with further charitable joint ventures actively pursuing opportunities for the future.

CIDF donates new Panoramic Xray

• It was an easy fit for the Foundation to follow its mandate to the Gathering Place, here in St John’s.  It our hope that this most valuable piece of equipment will enable the dentists to pursue their care with maximal diagnostic acumen, thereby creating a facility which will present the kind of treatment citizens of Canada have come to expect. From all of us at CIDF, we commend you for your good work at The Gathering Place, which exemplifies the direction of community based care for all.
• It’s all smiles at the Gathering Place as free dental clinic has successful start
• X-ray machine donation making dental care more accessible at the Gathering Place