NEIAFU, Vava'u –
Two tables pushed together and a stack of plastic chairs serve as an operating table. Men, women and children of all ages wait patiently for their turn to see a dentist.
The dental clinic was one of four clinics set up in the auditorium of Mailefihi Siu'ilikutapu College in Neiafu, Vava'u. American, Australian and Tongan dentists and technicians worked together to ensure they treat as many patients as possible each day of the Pacific Angel-Tonga health care services outreach program July 21 through 25.
"The majority of care is exclusively extractions and exams," said Lt. Col. Catherine Kanwetz, Pacific Angel-Tonga lead for dental services.
While the local hospital is capable of treating dental patients, the HSO clinic helps identify problems to improve patient flow.
"They are able to do restorative dentistry, such as fillings, they can fix dentures; they can do root canals up there and also extractions so basically we're just supplementing them," Kanwetz said.
The PACANGEL mission allowed multiple services and countries to work together and exercise their interoperability.
"It's really fun, everybody has a lot to bring to the table, different experiences and I've really been enjoying hearing about their stories," Kanwetz said.
The open set up has also allowed for personnel to get a glimpse into the work other parts of the clinic are doing.
"If I could do it again I would," said Senior Airman Ivan Navarro, Pacific Angel-Tonga dental technician. "I've met such great people just all different parts of the world and different bases. I get to see how other people do their jobs. Being in the dental field we don't get to see what everybody else does."
Navarro also had the opportunity to step out into the community and visit four schools on the island to assist with the hospital's Mali Mali program. Mali mali means smile in Tongan.
"The message of the Mali Mali is to give the kids how important it is to brush their teeth every day," said Talanoa Vaka, a Prince Ngu Hospital dental therapist. "The problem is we have a survey a few years ago, the DMFT is very bad. The DMFT is an International measurement for decay, missing and filled teeth."
The program visits the 22 primary schools and 10 pre-schools on island every week as well as 11 schools on the surrounding islands once a quarter.
"We kind of share what we know and kind of hope that they take on what we taught them and keep up with them as time goes on," Navarro said. "It's not something you get to do every day -- to come to an island in the middle of the South Pacific. I mean the people have been just awesome, very nice. Just the chance to help people out, you know -- the ones who really need it."
Pacific Angel is a total force, joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation led by Pacific Air Forces. Pacific Angel 2014 includes general health, dental, optometry, pediatrics, and engineering programs as well as various subject-matter expert exchanges.