Two years before the dental mission to Bhutan took place, Dr. Andrew Cheng had travelled to Bhutan and was kindly asked by Bhutanese lama, Dzongzar Khentyse Rinpoche to travel to Eastern Bhutan and help supply dental services to the villagers of Bartsham. Andrew agreed to make the effort and see what he could do. The plan was then enstated in his mind to find funding and travel back to Bhutan with a team of dental professionals to help bring much needed aid to the villagers who lived there.
The original mission was funded mostly by Dr. Andrew Cheng and a generous donation from his partner Charlotte Chou which made this mission possible. The team helped over 300 patients who desperately needed dental care.
The people of Eastern Bhutan are a beautifully peaceful community and loved having the dental team there for the few days they could provide service. Many villagers of Bartsham were helped with their dental needs, but because the team could only travel with a limited amount of supplies, not everyone could be treated on this trip.
Overall the 2010 Bhutan dental mission was a huge success and both Dr. Andrew Cheng and him team saw the great reward in how giving a little to a community that needs can give a lot back in emotional reward. The plan now is to gather donations from individuals or sponsors and raise enough money to permanently install a clinic in Bartsham, Bhutan. The hope is to then have dentists from all over the world donate their time and services to the clinic for short periods throughout the year.