Medical and Dental Services through our Clinics
Clinical Services
ODIM aims to provide high-quality, culturally competent, affordable primary health care to the indigenous populations of San Juan and San Pablo. The providers include bilingual Spanish/Tz’utijil speaking nurses and a physician local to the community. The two clinics in San Juan and San Pablo La Laguna were built with the hands, hearts, and financial contributions of international volunteers. Combined, these clinics provide a total of 3,000 treatments to patients each year.
Patients pay a nominal fee (about US$3.00), though no one is turned away if unable to pay. The majority of funding, medicines, and supplies comes from North American donors.
Our clinical services are designed around the expressed needs of the communities.
Primary care: The majority of visits are patients seeking general consult for an illness. Leading health concerns are peptic ulcers, diabetes, intestinal parasites, arthritis, and urinary tract infections. Our staff combines education and prevention counseling along with evidence-based remedies for treatment.
Diabetes: As one of the leading health issues among our patients, we have developed a clinic/community program that combines education, outreach, and patient management for diabetes. Health promoters meet with diabetic patients prior to their medical consult to test glucose and review diet and exercise. The medical staff then counsel patients and adjust medications, as needed.
Prenatal Care: Our trained nurse midwife serves about 730 pregnant women a year. We are equipped with a portable ultrasound machine and basic laboratory tests to monitor a pregnant woman’s progress. The prenatal nurse collaborates with other local, traditional midwives to assure that deliveries are conducted by trained birth attendants.
Bach Flowers: We provide this treatment for emotional issues such as anxiety and depression by combining taking diluted flower tinctures with counseling. The nurse who provides this service makes referrals to local mental health providers, as needed.
Pharmacy: Both clinics have a pharmacy stocked with about 180 different medications, primarily sourced from North America. On-site pharmacies with medications that are included in the general consult price making treatment options accessible.
Laboratory: Both clinics offer simple laboratory tests of blood, urine, and feces. However, referrals are made for complex blood analyses and ultrasounds, often delaying diagnosis and treatment.
ODIM welcomes visiting doctors and healthcare professionals (with current licenses) to work with us. Our staff and patients have benefited greatly from the knowledge, interaction, relationships, and care that has been shared by foreign physicians, nurse practitioners, and other trained medical professionals with a desire to serve.
If you'd like more information about serving with our medical staff, please contact us at ODIM's Volunteer Manager.
Dental Clinic
Our dental clinic is open Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM. Our dental team works with program participants and people from the Lake Atitlan communities. Our staff provides cleaning, fillings, and extractions. Our dentists are also collaborating with the medical staff to assure that the special needs of diabetic patients are met.
Healthy Smiles program
ODIM´s Healthy Smiles program (Sonrisas Saludables) was set up in 2019 with the support of Dentist Grant Ritchey and long-term ODIM supporter Kay Soetaert. The program builds on the existing work of the dental clinic but focuses on education and preventive care. To date the team has developed a curriculum to educate participants of ODIM´s other community programs, has carried out a baseline study with 40 three and six-year-olds, and is working with local schools on fluoride application and educational interventions. In three years, our goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in cavities in local children.
If you'd like more information about serving in our dental clinic please start that conversation with ODIM's Volunteer Manager.
