TARUMANDY, Paraguay — The rural community of Tarumandy welcomed its first-ever dentist this month, marking a milestone in local healthcare access.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alex Hernandez, a dentist with the 507th Medical Squadron, and three dental technicians spent two weeks treating children and families during Operation AMISTAD 2025. Until now, Tarumandy residents had never received formal dental care.
“Every day, people were waiting for us before we even opened,” Hernandez said. “It’s rewarding to fill a need that has gone unmet for so long. I’m proud to be Tarumandy’s first dentist, but I’m also saddened by how much more care is still needed.”
During the mission, Hernandez and her team treated nearly 80 patients, many of them children. The most common problems were cavities and missing permanent molars in pre-teens. Hernandez focused on preventive care whenever possible. “If I can seal their teeth, I can give them up to a year of protection,” she explained. “That prevention means more than pulling a tooth — it gives them a chance to keep their smile.”
The mission was bolstered by a donation of a fully equipped dental suite, including a new chair, instruments, and supplies.
The gift, provided by U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. Embassy in Asunción, was turned over to Paraguay’s Ministry of Health.
Health Minister María Teresa Barán called the donation transformative. She noted that for families living with constant dental pain or for children distracted in school by untreated cavities, even a single dental chair could change lives. She also emphasized that the gift symbolized more than equipment. “It represents the friendship and cooperation between Paraguay and the United States,” Barán said.
The minister also announced that the Ministry of Health will hire a full-time dentist for Tarumandy’s health unit, ensuring continued care for the community.
For Hernandez, that commitment made her time in Tarumandy even more meaningful. “This mission isn’t just about readiness — it’s about relationships,” she said. “We were able to provide immediate care, but more importantly, we helped build something lasting.”
Operation AMISTAD 2025, led by U.S. Air Forces Southern, partnered U.S. and Paraguayan medical teams across the country to deliver care, share expertise, and strengthen regional preparedness. The Tarumandy clinic showed how short-term missions can create long-term benefits, improving lives today while laying the foundation for a healthier tomorrow.
