Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Team Returns to Ukraine

Chair of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Associate Dean for Hospital Affairs at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Dr. Pushkar Mehra led a carefully selected surgical team to Dnepropetrovysk, Ukraine in September 2010. During the eight-day trip, the team performed more than 50 consultations and surgeries on underserved children affected with various facial deformities and developmental anomalies including cleft lip and palate.

Other members of the team included Dr. Jim Bertz, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon from Scottsdale, Arizona; Boston Medical Center (BMC) OR Nurse Joseph App; GSDM Oral Surgery Operating Room Manager Wendy Little; Matthew Steuer OMFS 13; and BMC Family Nurse Practitioner Paula Surro.

Dr. Steuer commented on his experience, “What an irreplaceable, life-changing experience! I received so much more than I could ever give back. I look forward to continuing in such endeavors for the rest of my life.”

Similar to past trips, GSDM joined forces with the Smiles International Foundation’s Smiles of Ukraine program. Over the past three years, the team from GSDM has taken a leadership role in this outreach effort, and on each trip they have trained local Ukrainian surgeons to proficiency in complex oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. They are thrilled to be able to provide the hope of a better life for many of the children they treat.

To learn more about the team’s involvement in this program, to volunteer, or to donate, please visit the newly launched website at http://www.smilesforchildren.org/.