U.S. peacekeepers open up
to Kosovar kids about dental care
By Rick Scavetta,
Stars and Stripes
Rick Scavetta / Stars and Stripes
During a visit to the dental clinic at Camp Bondsteel, Sgt. Ann Archer showed local
Kosovar students how to care for their teeth. |
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — Educating and forming friendships with Kosovo’s
children may be as important to peace in the former Yugoslavia as patrolling streets and
guarding checkpoints.
And with kids, cheeseburgers and French fries can help.
Troops from the Camp Bondsteel medical facility invited school children to the
hospital’s dental ward Saturday to teach them about proper tooth care. Then they
treated the kids to Whoppers at the camp’s Burger King.
Chaplain assistant Sgt. Tracey Otto, 31, of Fulton, Ill., coordinated the trip as part
of ongoing outreach to the Jeromim de Rada primary school in Urosevac, the nearby town
known locally as Ferizaj.
"We go out there about once a week," Otto said. "On Halloween, we took
candy to all the classrooms."
Tasting American goodies and fast food made the trip to hospital’s dental clinic
even more important.
"We can teach them young to care for themselves," hospital spokesman Lt. Kurt
Martin said. "Just like our parents instilled in us."
American and British soldiers work together in the 32-bed hospital at Camp Bondsteel,
which opened its doors Sept. 19, Martin said. Before that, medical operations took place
in a tent-based hospital. The new hospital, made from 57 prefabricated containers, has the
same capabilities of a stateside medical center, including a state-of-the-art dental
clinic.
During the visit, about 30 children clustered around two dental chairs as soldiers
talked to them about oral hygiene. Dental technician Sgt. Ann Archer, 27, of Washington,
D.C., used a mirror to show the children both sides of their teeth and talked about what
to look for when brushing.
"They knew exactly where most of the food gets caught," Archer said.
"They have a great start."
Archer was surprised to find that many children already had good brushing habits.
"They all had great teeth," Archer said, flashing a smile. "If they keep
up the good job, when they grow up they can have no cavities, like me."
Back to November stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from October, 2001
Stories from September, 2001
Stories from August, 2001
Stories from July, 2001
Stories from June, 2001
Stories from May, 2001
Stories from April, 2001
Stories from March, 2001
Stories from February,2001
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home |
