What's Happening

March 29, 2019, Santa Cruz, California – Continuing her life-long dedication to children’s oral health, Sister Julie Hyer, OP, delivered a $25,000 check on behalf of the Lifeguard Charitable Fund to help a local clinic, Salud Para La Gente, to provide toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss to families of young children. Sister Julie lived out her dedication through years of ministry in health care as President and CEO of Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz for more than 22 years and as CEO of Salud Para La Gente for two and a half years. This recent project is a continuation of her childhood efforts to collect donations of toothpaste for needy children. Read the entire article by Michael Oppenheimer in the Capitola Soquel Times.

October 14, 2016, Sección San José, Dominican Republic – More than 80 people – many of them children – received free dental services Oct. 9 during a clinic sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Associate Group Antorcha and organized by Dr. Fabiola Reyes, Associate.

Juana Franco, Associate, helps sterilize instruments

Seven volunteer dentists, a volunteer doctor, 13 Associates and five Adrian Dominican Sisters brought equipment and supplies from the city of Santiago in the middle of the Dominican Republic. Free services included cleanings, extractions, and fillings.  

The Associates and Sisters provided volunteer help registering patients, assisting dentists, sterilizing instruments, dispensing toothpaste and tooth brushes, entertaining the children while they waited, preparing and cleaning the space, serving lunch and snacks, and generally helping out wherever necessary. 

Sección San José is a village in the southern part of the Dominican Republic where Adrian Dominican Sisters have served since 1992. Seven Associates call this their home and minister in the school, health projects, and the community with the Sisters.  

Submitted by Sister Carol Gross, OP 

Feature photo: Doctor Fabiola Reyes works on a patient during a free dental clinic in the Dominican Republic. An Associate, Dr. Reyes coordinated the clinic, which was sponsored by the Associate Group Antorcha.