Cruising Dentist

[Stumble]

I don't know about dentistry, but my mother is a doctor, and carried a very well supplied surgical suite when we were cruising. Everything from a sterilizer to hard core narcotics. We traveled all over the Carribean, and never had a problem bringing them into any country. The most I can remember anyone looking at was asking to see her license, and an ID.

She was always careful to ask the local doctor (if there was one) or headman for permission to work, and it was always granted. She was in such high demand we actually had to raise a 'doctors aboard flag' when she was treating people. Not the M flag, but one with "DOCTOR" on it flying when she was working.

Most of the pay was in tour guides, thanks, maybe fresh fish or vegetables. But I think the thing she was most pleased to get was the look on someone's face when she was done treating them, and they realized that the pain/infection/problem was going to get better. She even did a tooth extraction for a guy who had never hear of a dentist, and couldn't have afforded the trip to see one anyway.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Timtim24

Thanks, yes that is the idea just help others out and keep her skills fresh. We hope we have saved enough money and hope to be able to get by on a cruising kitty of $40k per year. Hopefully we will not need to make extra cash, if that time comes we both have residency in the Bahamas so we can work there if we have to. Just have to get there first our boat is in Malaysia! Thanks everyone for the comments. We just wanted to see the reaction to having a friendly dentist in the cruising world. She really wants to continue her skills, her love is dentistry not - money and the "all we want to do help you" insurance companies.

G'Day again TT24,

That sounds great! I'm surely not competent to judge whether one can provide useful practice from a cruising boat, but even good advice alone is very comforting at times... even when the news isn't good!

I don't think that many folks would have a problem cruising on your proposed budget. Ann and I live kinda frugally (by nature) and get by on much less than that whilst supporting a reasonably large boat and not feeling that our existence is much compromised.

Enjoy yourselves... I think that you will do just fine, and that your wife will be able to find ways to keep herself occupied!

Cheers,

Jim

[ocamerondds]

Greetings and Happy Holidays. Just a few words to let you know that as a general dentist for 38 years I am in the process of leaving private practice to work in a lifelong project with a newly created foundation. Purpose is to create a 48-52 Catamaran equipped with two full dental operatories to provide free dental care from Puerto Rico to Lesser Antilles, to South/Central America. Home base will be south coast Puerto Rico.
Been able to combine lifelong passions in dentistry, Sailing, Scuba diving, traveling is a blessing that I'm sure you can appreciate fully.
Hopefully within the next year the foundation will start seeking funding/donations .
Stay in touch, Its a small world. Our paths will cross.
Peace to you and love ones
OS

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, OS.

[icedog11]

let me know I will follow you I'm an accomplished technician, with a number of published articles in JADA. I could easily set up a small scale set up on a boat.

[zeehag]

welcome to cf....


in some places her only issues will be sterilizing equipment and licensure.
do you carry autoclave on boat???
licensure varies nation to nation. i know in mexico the pay is from 100 pesos to 300 pesos for a cleaning and inspection, and sterilizing equipment is an issue.
there was a cruiser said she is a dental hygienist here in mexico who was only boiling her tools--that is inadequate with the bacteria and viruses found in populations. must be high pressure steamed for 20 min minimum.
yes, virginia, there is such thing as osteomyelitis caused by messing with bones and joints without proper sterilization of tools. ye do not want to contract that lil mess. no one does.
to answer question--i would not visit a vagabond dentist without an autoclave.

[a64pilot]

My Father was a dentist, I grew up in his Lab doing crown and bridge work, inlays, onlays etc. He was very unusual in that he had his own Lab and did a lot of restorative Dentistry. A lab I don't think is likely in a boat with the casting equipment, burn out ovens and porcelain ovens it would be hard to make safe too.
An autoclave for Dentistry is surprisingly small as the instruments are small, a lot of the plastics are cold sterilized. The issue I believe in setting up a Dental office in a boat is power, you need power to run the compressor, vacuum system, light etc., you will need de-mineralized water for the autoclave, but yes an autoclave is a necessity.
X-ray for bite wings and the like wouldn't be hard either, the whole office would take up the space of an average Salon

[rwidman]

I don't think you could legally practice as a dentist in a country you are not licensed in. Even in the USA you would probably have to get a license for each state you practiced in.

You would also want (need) malpractice insurance for anywhere you practiced and you would have a hard time getting that if you weren't licensed.

If you plan on doing anything to earn money, you should check with the local authorities to see if you need a license. l trouble in a foreign country can be a big, big hassle.

[a64pilot]

Somehow organization like Dr's without borders and others manage to do it.
I have no idea how, but they do. Maybe Weavis has an idea?
I think his intent was to do it for free for locals, although I'd gladly give a donation for a Prophylaxis and general look see.
Lack of regular dental care is something that has me concerned with cruising, see I plan on being buried will all MY teeth. I am one of those that are convinced that your general health is greatly affected by your dental health.

[icedog11]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My Father was a dentist, I grew up in his Lab doing crown and bridge work, inlays, onlays etc. He was very unusual in that he had his own Lab and did a lot of restorative Dentistry. A lab I don't think is likely in a boat with the casting equipment, burn out ovens and porcelain ovens it would be hard to make safe too.
An autoclave for Dentistry is surprisingly small as the instruments are small, a lot of the plastics are cold sterilized. The issue I believe in setting up a Dental office in a boat is power, you need power to run the compressor, vacuum system, light etc., you will need de-mineralized water for the autoclave, but yes an autoclave is a necessity.
X-ray for bite wings and the like wouldn't be hard either, the whole office would take up the space of an average Salon

Its been a long time since you have been in a lab, more likely a traveling dentist would be doing mostly removables, and patch work, not so much fixed, but both would be easy to accommodate with modern equipment in less area than a dentist would require. I would think I could do plenty of work just doing denture repairs, if I was so motivated.

[keepondancin]

Early 2000's there was a dentist on a Morgan 41 Out Islander in the southern Caribbean, named something like Molar Madness, or similar. He had a small setup, and would work with cruisers, part of the coconut telegraph and was a welcome entity. Those that actually are cruising, not just wishing or criticizing, know there is a bit of an underground. Donating assistance to remote areas would be appreciated. We where anchored in, I think, San Francisco on the north coast of Venezuela, and a couple fishermen came to the boat, and one had a cheek like a chipmunk, from, I would guess, an abscess. We had some sort of antibiotic, and ambesol, and that was the best we could do. Do what you can for others, it doesn't happen enough.

[Cheechako]

Brings a whole new meaning to "beating into the teeth of the storm..."

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Somehow organization like Dr's without borders and others manage to do it.
I have no idea how, but they do. Maybe Weavis has an idea?
I think his intent was to do it for free for locals, although I'd gladly give a donation for a Prophylaxis and general look see.
Lack of regular dental care is something that has me concerned with cruising, see I plan on being buried will all MY teeth. I am one of those that are convinced that your general health is greatly affected by your dental health.

Wouldn't worry about good dental care. Many countries outside the USA/Canada have excellent dental care at very affordable prices. Had a crown done a few years ago in Guatemala at a first class dental clinic for $250. Price in the USA is about $1,500. Perfect fit first time, zero problems.

DWOB does have problems sometimes...they got shut down in Belize a few years ago...nothing is essy in Belize.