Under Sifren’s inspirational leadership, the hospital continued to benefit from the generosity of mission groups. Up until about four years ago, volunteers only numbered a few hundred annually and dental services were provided at a minimum. Then fate intervened once again. Sifren was brought together with two US organizations who shared his purpose to not only treat patients, but truly care for them and positively impact their lives and communities: World Mission Partners (WMP) and the Scheduling Institute (SI). WMP is a non-profit that exists to organize and host mission trips to provide medical, dental, construction, and spiritual support to the people of the Dominican Republic and also Costa Rica. SI is a leading practice growth consultant in dentistry that coaches dentists and their teams how to grow both professionally and personally.
Since working with WMP, the hospital as well as schools and other projects in the region now benefit from several thousand volunteers a year on dozens of missions, many devoted to providing desperately needed dental care for adults and children. WMP continues to provide logistical support, while SI serves as a catalyst by providing pathways and opportunities for interested dentists and their teams, and by providing a vision and inspiration for those who may never have thought beyond their local charities.
Today, the hospital is a modern five-story facility with a six-room dental clinic that is considered the nicest and most modern in the region. The clinic equipment was provided by dental office design firm Design Ergonomics and SI clients. A new training center at the hospital was funded by WMP, SI, and SI clients. And a brand-new, state-of-the-art mobile dental unit was made possible with the generous donations of two SI clients. Currently, a new surgical ward is under construction, and an ever-expanding vision remains constant among the leadership of Good Samaritan Hospital and its supporters.
Sifren and the hospital’s supporters have worked to instill a culture of excellence in all the hospital does, including training doctors, dentists, and staff on what it means to deliver a caring and compassionate patient experience (concepts not typically applied in the Dominican Republic’s health-care system); the importance of building high-performing teams; and developing a network of relationships and resources committed to helping people.
