Personal Perspective: Dental Training by Alisha

As a part of our blog, we open up entries to 7G goers so that they can offer their insight of their view on the M.E.M.O. 7G mission trip. We call these entries, "Personal Perspective," and list the name of the 7G goer. These are their stories on this journey. 

Our dental training took place at Dr. Timothy Bui’s office in Newport Beach on July 19^th. Dr. Bui first introduced the necessary medical terminology that we were later quizzed on as well as medical and dental screening and triage. He concluded the introduction with a description of surgical, amalgam, and composite procedures that we will have more exposure to hands on in Vietnam.

The 7G Dental Team

The members of the dental team learned about the procedures of tooth extraction and of white or silver filling in both a normal doctor’s office setting and in a mobile setting. To demonstrate, one of our very own MEMO students needed two white fillings, so the rest of the students got to watch while Dr. Bui did the first in a normal office setting and the second using only the mobile dental unit. The second dental procedure was done completely in the lobby of the office, with no resources outside the mobile unit. We experienced the vast difference between the two procedures, and the disadvantages and challenges of this mobile unit.

The mobile dental unit. Three units will be used during this year's dental program.

The mobile dental unit provided much less power, yielding weaker suction. Through both processes (normal and mobile), Dr. Bui remained a detailed and dedicated teacher. He explained to us every small detail while working, and even allowed students to ask questions, take videos, and discuss with him during the filling procedures.

Dr. Bui proves himself to be a dedicated teacher, as he talks to (from left to right), Kevin, Lindy, Alisha, and Dean during the mobile procedure in his office lobby.

We are proud to announce the 7G Dental Team! 

Written by Alisha. Edited by Johnson.

Smile! You're on the Dental Team!

A smile represents an expression of our emotion of happiness and joy. It must be taken care of and maintained for the necessity of healthy living conditions. On this 7G mission trip, there is also the dental team. This will be the second year of the dental program, lead by cosmetic and family dentist, Dr. Timothy Bui. 

Dr. Timothy Bui and the 7G Dental Team.

Here is some background information behind Dr. Timothy Bui. He is a graduate of the University of California School of Dentistry at San Francisco 1986 with a General Practice Residency of advanced dental studies in Cleveland, Ohio (with being alumnus of University of Pacific-Biological Sciences Degree). He then graduated from the Las Vegas Institute for advanced cosmetic dental studies, one of the nation's premier post-graduate training facilities found by Dr. William Dickerson, the internationally well-known cosmetic dentist. He has been providing high level quality care as cosmetic, sedation family dentist for over 25 years. He was even nominated as the best cosmetic dentist in Newport Beach in 2011. More information can be found on his website. He is also a big supporter of M.E.M.O. and its principles and values.

Dr. Bui demonstrates the new portable dental kit that will be used during 7G mission trip.

Using one the three new portable dental kits, Dr. Bui shows the dental team what tasks they will have during the trip.

On the 7G mission trip, he will lead the dental program, with the help of a selected team of 7G goers. In addition, they will be working with the local dental students, showing the integration of American and Vietnamese dental care. This is an exciting year for the dental team as well because Dr. Bui has expanded the program now to have three new portable dental kits in comparison to the one dental kit from last year. These kits will allow Dr. Bui and his team to provide optimal care for his patients when we have the medical clinics in the rural villages of Vietnam. The 7G dental team catch a glimpse as to the importance of proper dental care.

7G Dental Team. From the 7G goers, a select few were chosen to work with Dr. Bui.

Dr. Bui teaches the 7G Dental Team the proper dental care that they will carry out in Vietnam.

Dr. Bui, with the help of his trained dental assistant, demonstrates what they will provide in Vietnam.

It is our honor and privilege to work with Dr. Bui, as he teaches the students about the proper dental care that is important in our 7G mission trip. He holds the highest standards when it comes to his care; whether it is in the United States or Vietnam, he demonstrates that dental care has no nationality. He emphasizes the importance of global care, as dental care is just as important as medical care. Overall, the dental team plays an important role when it comes to the medical clinics in Vietnam. Even though it is only the second year of the dental program, there is much promise for what is ahead for the dental team. We just smile thinking about it.

Written by Johnson.

Dr. Bui displays his proper dental care with the highest standards for patient care.

Carwash Fundraiser at 7/11!

Welcome to MEMO 7G's Carwash!

With the final fundraiser before the mission trip, we had a carwash at the 7/11 on Edinger Ave and Goldenwest Street. All of our 7G goers help carry out this carwash to raise more funds for heart surgeries for children with congenital heart diseases. Thank you to 7/11 for making this event possible. As 7/11 supplied the water, we provided the manpower to make this fundraiser happen.

Amy publicizes for the MEMO carwash with her bright neon poster!

With his charming smile, Ben publicizes for the carwash.

With all of the supplies donated by the 7G goers, we worked from 9AM-5PM. Car washes are a fun way to fundraise and bond with fellow 7G goers. All year, the three chapters, UCI, UCLA, and UCSD, carry out fundraisers for the mission trip, raising funds for all projects - heart program, medical clinics, dental program, HOPE project, scholarship program, and transfer of technology (please see first blog entry for more details).   

Ngan fills the buckets with water for carwash.

Team Hulk is staying strong their signature pose (with two Hawkeyes in the back). 

Katy hards work washing cars while having fun. Can't you tell by the look on her face?

The parking lot was full with cars waiting to be washed. Time to wash up!

Jason getting on top to make sure that no spot is missed. Good job, 7G!

Overall, with all of the 7G goers' help and dedication to the mission trip, we fundraised over $700!!! Awesome job to our members, especially those who worked the whole day from 9am to 5pm as well as those who weren't going on the trip but still came out. We couldn't have done it without our members. In addition, we would like to thank Vy Nguyen and MEMO at UCI for organizing this fundraiser. It goes to show you that hard work pays off. Thank you to everyone who came out to have their car washed and supported MEMO on our journey. Next stop: Vietnam.

Countdown: 1 day!!!

Written by Johnson. 

Inventory Day: More than Just Boxes

The scene of inventory day. Medical supplies everywhere! Time to pack the boxes up!

These are more than just boxes. Upon arrival at Co Kim's home, we were welcomed to this scene of medical supplies, ready to be organized and sorted out for the trip. As part of our "Transfer of Technology" program for the mission trip, we had inventory day, where we packed up boxes upon boxes with medical supplies to donate to the local hospitals. Ranging from catheters to laparoscopic surgery tools, we packed up all of the medical supplies that we have accumulated during the year from various hospitals and generous donors. With all of the 7G goers, we had to work all day from 9am until 7pm to arrange, sort out, and pack up all of the supplies that we would be bringing to Vietnam with us.

Our pile of catheters and stents that had to be sorted out. Ben begins on this pile, while others organize the other piles.

Tuan numbers the boxes that we will assign to each 7G goer. We will have a total of 37 boxes for the trip.

Amongst all this chaos, we had a system to organize all of the supplies. With all of the 7G goers, we had to sort out according to importance and need. With the help of our advisor, Co Kim, we had to choose medical supplies that were crucial and scarce in Vietnam, as the hospitals over there lack the advanced technology that we have in the United States. Such supplies include catheters, stents, crosser machines, and many more. Every 7G goer is responsible for their assigned box. 

Each box could not exceed 62 inches (158 cm) and 50 pounds (23 kg). Julian, Cece, and Christina made boxes to fit this requirement.

In addition the limit of the number of boxes, they had to be within a certain measurement range. They could not exceed 62 inches (158 cm) and be below 50 pounds (23 kg). This was a challenge for the catheters and stents, as they extent lengthwise. Hence, we also had to makeshift our own boxes to accommodate for this (as pictured).

Tiffany, Mai Anh, Lindy, Minh organize medical supplies. As you can tell by Lindy's face, she is having a jolly good time.

With each box, they had to record each item on the computer in order to put them into a master list. When we bring the medical supplies over to Vietnam, we also have to make sure that each item is accounted for. These medical supplies are often costly and expensive. The medical supplies donated are sometimes medical supplies that have been expired due to the United States' strict regulations of sterility; however, they are still good to use and are used in Vietnam. There is still an window of use for these medical supplies. 

Boxes stacked up in the garage. There were a total of 37 boxes filled with medical supplies and toys/candies for orphanages.

In the end, the boxes were filled up to their maximum capacity and stored away in the garage. 7G goers later came by to pick up the boxes, as each student was assigned to carry a box as one of their check-in luggages. Each box was checked by Non-Profit as well as Co Kim to ensure that the best-quality medical supplies are brought over to Vietnam. We also packed up a few boxes for the orphanages, filled with candies and toys.

Boxes were also filled with toys and candies for the children of the orphanages.

Every box may be filled with medical supplies and toys/candies for the orphanages, but they also are filled with hope and unity: the hope for the progression of global community and the unity of two countries working together. These medical supplies provide the local Vietnamese hospitals the means to provide better health care service. Once we are in Vietnam, we will see the supplies that we have brought over there being used by the local doctors and nurses. The destination seems that much clearer.

Written by Johnson. 

Training Day: The First Steps...Let the 7G Journey Begin!

As with every journey, it begins with one step. M.E.M.O. 7G mission trip is no different. The first step means being prepared for what is ahead. In order to prepare ourselves for the mission trip, we, the 7G goers, had learn the skills of what it takes to provide the preliminary care to the patients who we will be serving. We learned from the best of the best: Dr. Vu about patient physical questions, Dr. Phung on taking blood pressure, Dr. Timothy Bui on dentistry, Dr. James Tran on EKG, and technician Daisy on Ultrasound.

Dr. Vu explains about how to the process of asking patients about their chief complaint before referral to the doctors. 

Technician Daisy teaches the students about using the Ultrasound machine and its applications. 

Dr. Timothy Bui demonstrates the new dental kit, as Katy sits comfortably.

As all of the students broke off into their teams, each team were able to learn the necessary skills for the mission's medical clinics. Even though students are assigned roles during the actual clinic, it is necessary for students to adapt and be trained in all tasks, as they will learn that clinic days in rural Vietnam mean much more.

Dean focuses intensely on the Ultrasound, looking for any gallstones.

There will be four clinic days during the trip itself, and during each clinic day, each will be held in a rural area, where healthcare is scarce. Once there is word that there is a free health clinic, word spreads fast. In the past mission trips, we have had more than 500 patients EACH clinic day. Even though this year we will be working with the local pharmacy, medical, and dental students, it will still be a challenge to handle so many patients. People often line up early in the morning before we even get there; and even once we get there, there is a long line waiting for the free health clinic. People would have to wait as much as 3-5 hours before they see a doctor. 

Kevin learn firsthand about how to use the EKG (as shown on the diagram).

So, where do the student volunteers come in? For students, even though they may only have an undergraduate education so far, they are able to help the doctors make their job easier. On the day of clinic, students will be assigned to a task: patient history intake, triage, dental, pharmacy, crowd control, and EKG/Ultrasound. However, their role may change based on the need. As a result, the purpose of training day is to help the student volunteers understand the tasks that they will be facing. Each role is crucial and necessary in order for the clinics to run smoothly. Even though this was a one day training, the student volunteers will also be retrained more times before each clinic, rotating among doctors as we have during this day.

Team Hawkeye learn tries to find the "bump" on their sternum.

Under the guidance of Dr. Phung, Phoebe takes the blood pressure for Ben with Lindy focusing on the technical aspect of this skill.

In addition to the technical aspects behind training day, we have also discussed about our expectations for our student volunteers, going over code of conduct, dress code, their responsibilities during this trip, and necessities when it comes to this trip itself. Students must keep in mind that this is a professional trip, not a vacation.

The student volunteers still have a lot to learn before they are ready to enter the medical clinics. However, we are more than confident that they will live up to the challenge of providing health care for the underprivileged in Vietnam. Taking one step forward means one step closer to reaching our destination on this journey.

Written by Johnson.

M.E.M.O. 7G: The Journey Awaits

What is M.E.M.O.? What is 7G? What is this journey you speak of?

Welcome to the official M.E.M.O. 7G Mission Trip blog, where you can read and see firsthand accounts of the mission trip experience. We first would like to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. We hope that you will enjoy reading the account our mission trip this year. Without further ado, let's begin on this journey, together...

First, some background information. We are Medical, Educational Missions & Outreach, or M.E.M.O. for short. 
Spread across three chapters at UCI, UCLA, and UCSD, we are a non-profit, student-run, and humanitarian organization set out to travel to Vietnam every year and carry out our six projects, with a seventh project to come. In short, they are:

(1) Medical Clinics: with a group of doctors, health professionals, and our team of student volunteers, we hold free health clinics in villages, conducting preliminary needs assessment (i.e. blood pressure, ultrasound, EKG, etc.) based on the patients' chief complaint and treating them with the highest ethical standard.

(2) HOPE Project: with the funds raised during the school year, they are used to help give children in orphanages a future, providing monetary upkeep, free health check-up's, school supplies, clothing, and a chance for kids to be kids.

(3) Scholarship Program: a donation of only $60 will allow a child in Vietnam to stay in school for an entire year, which is fundamental to our principle that education provides the means to help children raise above their current living conditions. 

(4) Heart Program: as we bring surgeons to Vietnam, they provide children with congenital heart disease with life-saving surgery that allows them to live normal lives.

(5) Dental Program: this is our second year running this program; lead by Dr. Timothy Bui, it provides tooth cleaning, extraction, and filling in order to help maintain oral hygiene and prevent future pain and diseases along with the medical clinics. 

(6) Transfer of Technology: along with the funds that we have raised during the year, we also provide medical supplies to local hospitals and teach technical skills to medical students from our doctors so that they can have the means to improve their health care. 

(7) Hepatitis B Program - will be carried out during Mission Trip 8G: With the help of UNAVSA, this program will vaccinate newborns who have infected mothers by training midwives as well as screen orphans and vaccinate unaffected individuals, addressing the Hepatitis B pandemic that is frequently overlooked.

As you can tell by the "7" in 7G, this will be our 7th annual mission trip to Vietnam. With the "G" standing for generation, we hope to accomplish these goals. What makes 7G different from the other trips? Besides the awesome new people, we have exciting news for this trip:

• Under the leadership of Dr. Bui, we will be expanding the dental program with three new dental kits for more efficient care compared to one kit last year. 
• We will have one more EKG machine and three ultrasound machines during the health clinics.
• In particular, we would like to give our personal gratitude to Sonosite who loaned us one of their ultrasound machines valued at $50,000 for this mission trip (more information at: http://www.sonosite.com/). 
• Furthermore, we would also like to thank Ultra Light Optics for their generous donation of $5,000 worth of the LED Loupe-Light equipment (further information at: http://www.ultralightoptics.com/). 
• Last but not least, our group of student volunteers this year will have the privilege of working with the university for the clinics, working side-by-side with local pharmacy, medical, and dental students. This will demonstrate our integration of global medicine and healthcare, unity at the international level.

Let's do this! Ready or not, countdown: 2 days!!! 

Written by Johnson.