USS and New York University Prepare Dental Outreach Initiative in Caleta Ayacara

NYU representatives visited Chile’s Los Lagos Region to assess local conditions and plan a joint clinical and community outreach initiative that will take place in January 2027.

Universidad San Sebastián (USS) welcomed representatives from the Global Outreach Program at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry. During their stay, the delegation visited Caleta Ayacara and other communities in Chile’s Los Lagos Region.

The visit was designed to assess the local, clinical, and logistical conditions required to plan the joint dental outreach initiative, which will take place in January 2027.

The initiative will combine dental care for hard-to-reach communities with hands-on clinical training. It will also strengthen international collaboration, research, and community engagement.

Building a Long-Term Partnership

“NYU’s visit allowed us to move forward together in developing an initiative in Chile through its Global Outreach Program. For both universities, it is essential that a partnership of this nature be grounded in knowledge of the local context, dialogue with communities, and close coordination with the local healthcare network,” said Rosario García-Huidobro, dean of the USS School of Dentistry.

“That is why this initial engagement and planning stage is so important. We aim to build a long-term initiative that responds to real needs and can be sustained over several years. Our goal is to make a tangible contribution to the community while creating valuable opportunities for learning, academic collaboration, and research for students and faculty from both institutions,” she added.

The NYU delegation included Edward Rosenbaum, Gerald Kalczany, and Magdalena Concha. USS representatives included García-Huidobro; Dominique Mengin, director of the Dentistry program at the De la Patagonia Campus; and faculty members Julio Contreras and Karen Danke.

Navigation and Learning Aboard the Centinela I

The visit began Aug. 10 with a trip to Pichicolo. From there, the delegation sailed to Ayacara aboard the Centinela I, USS’s sail-training vessel.

The journey allowed the delegation to experience the route that students and faculty will follow during the outreach initiative. The group also reviewed safety conditions and the vessel’s capacity.

Sailing will be part of the project’s educational experience, helping students develop leadership, collaboration, and teamwork skills.

“The journey planned for 2027 will begin long before students reach their destination. Aboard the Centinela, they will experience leadership, teamwork, and shared learning, as sailing becomes a true school of collaboration and service,” said Mauricio Cox, coordinator of the Centinela I Project.

Magdalena Concha, assistant director of the NYU College of Dentistry’s Global Outreach Program, explained that the partnership will establish a community-based dental care program. The initiative also incorporates innovative methodologies and envisions the Centinela I as both a means of transportation and a learning environment.

Engaging Communities and the Local Healthcare Network

The following day, the delegation toured Caleta Ayacara and met with representatives from local dental services and the neighborhood association. The meeting gave the group a better understanding of the community’s primary needs and helped determine how the clinical activities will be carried out.

The delegation later visited USS’s De la Patagonia Campus and the community of Puelo, which is also being considered as an additional location for the initiative.

Mengin explained that the specific dental services to be offered have not yet been defined. This initial planning stage focused on identifying community needs and assessing available resources and capacity.

Planning will require close coordination with neighborhood associations and local healthcare providers. The Municipality of Chaitén may also participate.

Clinical Training and International Engagement

The initiative will include 10 USS students and two faculty members. They will be joined by NYU undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and dental professionals.

USS students will be selected based on academic and clinical criteria. Faculty will supervise the clinical activities and coordinate with NYU and local institutions.

“This type of experience helps our students understand that practicing dentistry extends beyond the clinical setting. It also requires adaptability, interdisciplinary collaboration, an understanding of the social and geographic context, and a commitment to addressing the healthcare needs of communities,” Mengin said.

NYU will contribute its experience in organizing clinical and community-based programs, along with expertise, methodologies, dental supplies, instruments, and clinical equipment.

The initiative will expand access to dental care in hard-to-reach communities while creating new opportunities for learning, research, and academic exchange between USS and New York University.