Dr. Heisler delivers much-needed equipment to Magadan Children’s Dental Clinic in Russia
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| Dr. Alenander Serdukhov (left) and Dr. Heisler receive a certificate of gratitude for installation of a heating system in Topolyok Kindergarten. |
On September 12 (September 11 in the United States) William Heisler, SD’58, professor, International Dentist Program (IDP) and Dr. Alexander Serdukhov, IDP’99, were awakened at 4:00 a.m. to watch Russian television detailing the unbelievable events taking place in New York City.
The first image they saw was an airliner streaking toward the World Trade
Center, the explosion, and the ensuing chaos. In the following days they
received multiple expressions of concern and heartfelt condolences from
their very good Russian friends.
They were in Magadan, a Russian city of 150,000 people in the extreme far east of Russia, some 5,000 miles from Moscow, to deliver and assemble an A-dec dental unit, similar to those in use in the School of Dentistry, for the Magadan Children's Dental Clinic. They also traveled to the small town of Palatka, 50 miles north of Magadan, to install a similar unit in the City Dental Clinic there. They were in Russia for two weeks.
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| Dr. Heisler (right) poses with the director of the Palatka City dental clinic (2nd from right), and the dentist and assistant who will use the recently installed dental equipment. |
During that time they visited with local dentists and the hospital staff
in Palatka. They had opportunity to discuss dental instruments, materials,
and types of treatment. “The dentists there expressed gratitude,”
reveals Dr. Heisler, “not only for the new equipment which supplements
very old, belt driven units, but also for the friendship and information
shared.”
This much-needed equipment was made possible by a $25,000 grant from Rotary
International. The grant was partially funded by the San Bernardino Crossroads
Rotary Club, of which Dr. Heisler is a member and by Rotary Districts
in California and Alaska.
Dr. Judson Klooster, dean emeritus; Dr. Milford Anholm, orthodontist,
MS’62; and Barbara Bostwick, director of development are also members
of the local Rotary Club.
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| In Palatka, 5- to 7-year-old children who attend Topolyok Kindergarten take part in a special musical program. |
While in Magadan and Palatka Drs. Heisler and Serdukhov were able to see the results of two previous Rotary projects. These both involved the installation of complete electric heating and hot water systems in two large (300 students each) boarding schools, one in Magadan and the second in Palatka.
In Palatka they were treated to a special musical program put on by the
5- to 7-year-old children of the Topolyok Kindergarten where the heating
units were installed.
On September 15 they awoke to find an inch of snow on the ground in Magadan!
On September 18 in Palatka the morning temperature was -10 degrees C.
(about 20 degrees F)! Winter temperatures in that area often drop to -50
degrees F.
While in Russia the two were hosted by the local Rotary Clubs and they
stayed in the home of the grandmother of Alexey Kaverin, a Russian Rotary
Exchange Student at Redlands East Valley High School who is living with
Dr. Heisler this school year. Dr. Heisler states that he would like to
take a team of dental and/or hygiene students to that area next year on
a service learning trip. He has begun discussions with the local Rotarians,
dentists, and health officials, to see if it can be arranged.
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| A typical working model for crown fabrication. The photo was taken in the Palatka City dental laboratory. | Dr. Heisler shares a Russian symbol of hospitality and friendship (bread and salt) with San Bernardino Crossroads Rotary Club members. The gift was presented by the staff of Topolyok Kindergarten in Palatka, Russia. |
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