LA MESA, Panama — At the La Mesa Health Center, patients line up before sunrise each day for limited dental appointments.
When the day’s appointments run out, those still waiting must return another day—a situation that leaves some waiting months or even years for care.
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Project Friendship 2025—a joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army dental team working with Panamanian medical institutions—has nearly doubled the clinic’s daily patient capacity.
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“Typically, the two dentists in the clinic see about 50 patients a week,” said Capt. Lisa Wu, a dentist with the 22nd Medical Group.
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“Now we can see that many patients in a single day. While we’re still using a ticketing system, we can process patients more quickly and help those who might otherwise have waited months or longer.”
Local medical providers say the need is urgent. “Most people have to travel long distances, sometimes four or five hours,” said Dr. Yelena Ramos, a dentist at the La Mesa clinic.
“They arrive as early as 5 a.m., but even then, many people still don’t get to see a dentist. The ticketing system limits the number of people we can treat each day—for some, this means years without treatment.”
The U.S.-Panama team’s work goes beyond extractions and fillings. Team members provide cleaning and hygiene education, a priority since many patients only see the dentist once a year. “Teaching daily oral care is my main priority,” says Captain Wu. “Preventive education is more important than anything else.”
The collaboration has also created opportunities for professional exchange. Dr. Ramos says she has learned new instruments and techniques that, while similar at first glance, are more precise in some ways. “Comparing and adjusting methods is valuable,” she says.
“You learn the details—how to position instruments, how to move them more efficiently, even different grips. It’s not just about technique; it’s about teamwork.”
Many patients experience severe pain due to delayed treatment. Medical staff say the collaboration helps alleviate pain and brings faster relief to families in the community.
The two-week mission aimed to reduce the case backlog and leave lasting improvements: training, equipment familiarization, and procedural knowledge so local medical facilities can continue to perform their work.
“If people can access care faster and our partners feel better equipped, then the mission is a success,” said Captain Wu.
For the U.S. military medical team, working in a challenging, resource-limited environment also enhances readiness. “This is real-world care under conditions that are very different from back home,” Captain Wu added. “It shows that we can adapt, solve problems, and still provide safe and effective treatment.”
As the Friendship 2025 project continues in La Mesa, U.S. and Panamanian dental teams are reducing wait times, building local medical capacity, and providing care to those who need it most.