San B'do Crossroads Rotary sponsors dental service in Russia by William Heisler September 9 - 23 found several Loma Linda University faculty and alumni on a mission to provide dental care for children in Magadan and Palatka, Russia. Even in mid-September, the Russian forest was ablaze with color. Participants on the trip included (from left): Nathan Lewis, Susan Heisler, Alex Cripchuck, Lilliana Castro, Richard Smith, Milford Anholm, William Heisler, and (kneeling), Misha Shelyekhov, translator. Not pictured, Joe Herzog, DDS. Participants in the mission were: William Heisler, SD'59, professor of restorative dentistry; J. Milford Anholm, DDS, MS'62, professor of orthodontics; Nathan Lewis, SD '80, of Elko (Nevada) Dental Associates; Susan Heisler, MPH, assistant professor in the School of Allied Health, and two other Tri-County Dental Society members, Drs. Lilliana Castro and Joe Herzog. This remote area of the Russian Far East was made known by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn in his book Gulag Archipelago. The area was the center of the Stalinist era slave labor camps built to mine gold, silver, mercury and other minerals. It is so isolated that the nearest railroad is 800 kilometers to the south and there are no passable roads into the area. Air service from Anchorage, Alaska, is bi-weekly.   Dental team views Magadan city and Nagayeva Bay from the "Mask of Sorrows."   In spite of all this, the group, sponsored by a grant from Rotary International, was able to serve the dental needs of over 100 children with prophys, dental sealants, amalgam fillings, root canal treatments, stainless steel crowns, and extractions. The group was hosted by the local Rotary clubs and by local dentists. They stayed in the Magadan Regional Medical College, where Drs. Anholm, Heisler and Lewis also gave lectures to students and faculty members on dental procedures focused on children. Susan Heisler held multiple participation sessions with students and staff on "Psychogeometrics." In addition to work, the group enjoyed associating with their Rotary and dentist friends at a barbeque at a beach "dacha," a "banya" (sauna), and a party hosted in their honor by, and at the home of, the chief dentist of the Magadan City Dental Clinic. A highlight of the trip was meeting Yuri Godorin, the third Russian cosmonaut to fly in space, while touring the Geological Museum. The entire group would like to return to the area. Dr. Heisler states that this would be an excellent place to take take dental and hygiene students on a summer clerkship project. Dr. Heisler with cosmonaut Yuri Godorin. Because of his fame, Mr. Godorin was easily recognized in the Geological Museum. Dr. Heisler (right) presents a lecture at the Magadan Regional Medical College. Dr. Joe Herzog (left) looks on. Children in Palatka await dental treatment. University | Medical_Center | LLU&MC_home | Search | Employment | News_&_events | Academics | Our_mission | Admissions | Registration | Research | Alumni | Student_resources All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University. All rights reserved. Revised February 28, 2001 Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu  URL: http://www.llu.edu