Thanks very much for your comment posted on the project website regarding the portable Adec Pac-1 dental unit we are using in Ladakh.

First of all congratulations and gratitudes for your work in HP. As you well know, the dental problems silently suffered by the vast majority of people in these regions is overwhelming. I know you are probably bringing the same sort of large scale relief that the dental volunteers we are fortunate to have come to Ladakh offer to the local people here.

You are certainly on the right trail of connections regarding the Adec unit we use. My good friend Brian Hollander secured the first portable Adec dental unit for the Namche clinic from a organization called “Rota-Dent” located in Newberg, Oregon USA. It’s a collaboration between the Adec company and the local chapter of the Rotary Club. Though the generocity of the founders and directors of Adec Dental Supply Company, Rota-Dent offers the Pac-1 units at a discounted price for organizations and projects like the Namche clinic and Brian introduced me to them when I wanted to secure one of their units for our project in Ladakh.

Very fortunately, my proposal was accepted by the director of Rota-Dent, Mr. LeRoy Benham and after purchasing the unit I traveled to Oregon to take delivery and also offer a presentation to the Rotary Club to share with them the ground level positive impact of their program with projects like ours. Brian’s first Adec unit worked very well for 18 years up in Namche Bazar and he just replaced it with the latest model like the one we are now using and we both look forward to many years of reliable productivity with it. Maintenance is primarily a matter of strict adherence to basic set-up and shut down procedures which are quite simple and straight forward. I’m very sure what you are doing in Himachel Pradesh would be of great interest to LeRoy and would also certainly meet their qualifications that the unit be used for non-profit benefit to as many people as possible.

You can contact LeRoy directly at:

leroy@rota-dent.org

Please let me know if I can be of any help with your project at TCV. I am now able to expand the parameters of the project in Ladakh to include vision and gynecological care with the expanding level of qualified medical volunteers that are willing to come to Ladakh and offer their skills. If you know of a compelling need for a specific type of practitioner for the folks at TCV in HP, I’ll certainly be happy to make those who enquire aware of the option to head your way.

By the way, Brian & Judy Hollander are now in Alaska setting up a state wide dental care program for folks in the many remote villages scattered in that huge expanse of territory. Life stays interesting.

Take care, keep in touch and best of luck with your project. Please do get in touch with LeRoy Benham and let him know about your project. They are a remarkable group of people there in Oregon who are doing wonderful work to help people like your good self help others in need of their basic human right of freedom from pain and needless suffering.

Warm regards & namaste,

Bill