Erin reporting:

The Jirapa Community Oral Health Nurse, Fostina, and I have been very busy visiting schools, providing oral hygiene education and dental screenings. To date, we have screened nearly 1000 children! In Ghana, it really is as easy as "taking a peek".

Today was the largest school thus far, St. Francis, which had over 500 students from preschool through high school. The children are delightful and engaging. It is so incredible to have this opportunity.

Monday, Fostina, myself and Mrs. Bacheyie traveled to Douri Village to see the students at the Douri School. This was particularly meaningful as Douri is where Dr. Bacheyie was born and raised. Mrs. Bacheyie took us to his family home where many of his extended family still live. He is quite famous here!

We have presented both the Perinatal Oral Health instruction and the Early Childhood Caries Education to First and Second Year students in the Community Health Nursing Program as well as the Third Year Nursing class at St, Josephs Hospital. Community Health Nurses will often be the only health care provider the people in their assigned areas ever see and they take that responsbility very seriously. Hopefully, the seed has been planted for visual oral health exams and oral hygiene instruction to occur at primary care visits.

Tomorrow we begin to treat children who were identified in the oral health screenings at St. Josephs Dental Clinic. It will be another good day.