On a Mission
Though she was in the midst of construction on her new Granger, Ind., dental practice, Avis Barker, DMD, didn't let that stop her from going on a dental mission trip to San Quintin, Mexico this past June.
Dr. Barker heard about the mission trip opportunity from Patterson Equipment Specialist John Link, who had planned the trip to provide the underserved residents of San Quintin with much-needed restorative dental services. Link mentioned to Dr. Barker that one of the doctors had cancelled at the last minute, putting the trip in jeopardy. Dr. Barker had always wanted to go on a mission trip. "I thought, 'If I wasn't building an office, I would consider doing it,'" she said.
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The trip continued to weigh on Dr. Barker's mind. And construction on her practice was stalled due to a hold-up in state approvals. "I prayed on it a lot," said Dr. Barker. "I thought, 'My office isn't doing anything right now, so I should go.' John was shocked when I told him that I was going."
Just a couple of weeks later, Dr. Barker, fellow Indiana dentist Mark Stoner, DDS, and Link, his wife and daughter arrived in Mexico in three vans filled with dental supplies donated by Patterson and equipment from various manufacturers.
Sitting on exercise balls and using electricity from willing neighbors to power the Airvac machine, pump, compressor and Schick sensors, the mission trip team was able to help many grateful San Quintin residents. "It was amazing," said Dr. Barker. "We ended up helping a lot of people."
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