Dentist Mitchell Chun, left, Dale Tabbal of Global Medical & Dental, lab technician Thurlow Chun, dentists Norman Chun and Russell Masunaga, and Nelson Shimomi of Global Medical & Dental helped yesterday to load supplies bound for Iraq into a van. The effort was organized by Col. Mark Chun, a Kailua dentist who is stationed in Iraq.
Dentists send
aloha to IraqisThe dental community fills Col.
Mark Chun's request for supplies
Thousands of toothbrushes, floss, instruments, aloha scrubs and other dental supplies, plus goodies such as crack seed and beef jerky, are headed from Honolulu to Iraq on a "Help from the Homefront" peace mission.
Col. Mark Chun, 52, a Kailua dentist stationed with the 118th Medical Battalion at Camp Anaconda in Baghdad, asked his dentist brothers, Norman and Mitchell, for dental supplies for Iraqi civilians and children. They responded with help from the Hawaii Dental Association; its Dental Samaritan volunteers; Global Medical & Dental, local representative for Henry Schein dental products; and patients.
Mark Chun: He gives out toothbrushes and teaches Iraqi children how to brush, his wife says
The Chun brothers, including Thurlow, 52, a dental laboratory technician, family members, hygienists, staff members, and other dentists and patients packed the donated supplies yesterday at the dental offices of K.B. Chun & Sons on Uluniu Street.
The late Dr. K.B. Chun, a longtime HDA member, built the offices in Kailua about 50 years ago, Mitchell said. His sons took over the practice in 1982 and started a second office in Waimanalo where Mitchell and Thurlow work. Norman, 49, a pediatric dental specialist, joins them once a week.
Mark has been in Iraq since April with the Hawaii Army National Guard and is due to return in August on regular rotation, said Mitchell, 50.
He will cross paths with Norman, who learned Friday night he's on alert for duty with the 29th Infantry Brigade, Mitchell said. "One comes home and one goes."
He said Iraq is "a perfect spot" for Norman to use his pediatric dental skills. "Children are a special group. ... He wants to assure parents. It is definitely difficult, handling three people in a room, parents and the child."
His brother Mark has been in the military 20 years and has had combat medical training, Mitchell said.
Lately, he's been treating head and neck injuries from mortar explosions -- some as close as 75 yards, Mitchell said.
Norman said he joined the National Guard about 1 1/2 years ago because of a sense of duty and the chance to do something positive.
Also, he said, "knowing my brother and friends in the Guard ... Hawaii soldiers are a little different, like ohana."
Mitchell said Mark has gone to neighborhoods in Iraq, talking to families through interpreters about dental care for the children, but he lacks supplies.
"Part of their command from above is not only to take care of the soldiers but civilians, to build peace relations," Mitchell said. "He wants to leave a legacy behind with donated supplies. Mark's tendency is to think of creative ways to accomplish the mission. The mission is peace."
He said they couldn't have answered Mark's request for help without the HDA. "Luckily, we have camaraderie among our association and cooperation from the suppliers."
Craig Holbrook, Global Medical & Dental chief executive officer, was helping yesterday, as well as Dr. Russell Masunaga, director of the Dental Samaritans.
Dentist Jon Tanabe, also called up with Norman in the 29th Infantry Brigade, was among those dropping off supplies for the Iraqis.
Kendra Wong, manager of the Chuns' Kailua office, delivered aloha smocks sewn by her mother, Sandra Olayan. She said her mother had made six scrubs for Mark and his assistant, specialist Liz Jarry, and they were such a hit he asked for 40 more.
He wrote to them saying: "It's such a morale-booster for everyone. It's like Christmas. You don't even know what it's like for people up here."
Jarry is there for a year, Wong said, "and he wants his entire medical team to have Aloha Friday so they have something to look forward to."
She said her mother has lost vision in one eye and wasn't sure she could make 40 more smocks, but she was so touched by his letter she said she had to do it.
Norman's wife, Jan, a dental hygienist, and son, Ryan, 11, also helped with the packing project. She's worried about her husband's safety in Iraq, but "Mark is having fun," she said. "He talks about the good going on over there. ... He went out to the community, teaching kids to brush their teeth and handing out toothbrushes."
When he ran out, she said the family and office staff began sending boxes of toothbrushes and treats, and patients gave them money to buy things. The soldiers were so excited when Mark got the first box that they have been sending one every week, she said.
Mitchell said his brother "is going to be overwhelmed" by the new shipment of more than 2,000 toothbrushes, 1,000 tubes of toothpaste, gloves, rinses and small equipment.
"For some reason, the soldiers want their teeth whitened," he said. "It was odd, but we fulfilled his request.
"This is just the first call," he added. "I think there will be a second call. ... We'll be ready if Norm wants donations."
