Cobb served as dental director of the 12-member team sponsored by Global Health Outreach. He and Truong were the only general dentists among the group, which also
included Dr. Sam Molind, GHO president and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, as well as surgeons, pediatric anesthesiologists, residents and nurses from the Mayo Clinic's plastic surgery department.Vietnam has one
of the highest percentages of cleft palate cases in the world, according to Cobb. Mayo team members instructed institute personnel in the latest techniques by performing several cleft palate surgeries.
Cobb focused
on local anesthesia, which is taken for granted in the United States. "Not so in Vietnam," said Cobb, who witnessed 50 endodontic procedures without pain control during the trip last year. Through daily presentations
and hands-on teaching, he discussed administration of local anesthesia and demonstrated its use.
Truong lectured on partial design and partial framework design. "The students were eager to learn all we could teach
them about anesthesia and pain management as well as partials," said Cobb. "It was gratifying to serve the institute and its patients in this way."
Institute administrators are working to advance the institute's
educational program. To that end, Cobb, Truong and the team were invited to return next year to increase the scope of their teaching.
"It's an exciting and rewarding opportunity to share our expertise," Cobb said. "I can't wait to return."
During a banquet in their honor, Cobb and Truong presented the institute with a text on local anesthesia. The
institute's director presented the dentists with Vietnamese artwork.
