Norwalk Dentist Brings Hope to Haiti

Written by Caitlin Mazzola 

After she visited Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake to build and rebuild homes, Dr. Chedly-Schatzie Vincent knew she would one day be back to help.

The dentist's roots trace back to Haiti -- her parents emigrated from the Caribbean country to the United States about 30 years ago -- and after she saw the community's serious lack of dental and health care, she knew wanted to pitch in.

There are about 300 dentists per 110,000 people in Haiti, Vincent said. The earthquake destroyed most of the dentist offices that did exist.  

And so Vincent, who owns and practices at Norwalk's Aspen Dental on Main Avenue and three other dentists and hygienists headed to Jacmel, Haiti last November. Aspen Dental is a dental support organization that provided the supplies and basic equipment the dentists needed, Vincent said.

During the four-day trip, Vincent saw 500 people. The team worked out of a medical clinic using lawn chairs and stretchers for patients to sit on. Waiting patients helped the dentists out by using cell phones as flashlights.

"It was shocking," Vincent said, especially for the members of her team who had never visited Haiti before. "A lot of patients were toothless, or didn't have many teeth, or were in pain -- but they were just so grateful."

As the dentists packed up to leave on the last day, people were begging them to stay just another hour, Vincent said. They stayed for the extra hour and vowed to return. She said they're planning another trip for this coming November.

Vincent hopes to work on replacing teeth during the upcoming trip.

"This would be a new, innovative step to make dentures so patients can eat better, practice better nutrition," she said.

She added that the "people are looking forward to us coming back" -- and Vincent is, too.

"It was an amazing experience," she said. "It was not just rewarding to give back, but to have their appreciation."