Those days seemed far off as the king of Thailand, His Royal Highness King Bhumibol, celebrated his 80th birthday this past December. It was a grand festival of lights and fireworks throughout the country. Every event boasted a sea of thousands wearing yellow polo shirts, a color showcasing support for the monarch they revere. The people’s joy was particularly poignant as King Bhumibol had recently been hospitalized. Doctors were unsure if he would be able to attend the parades and celebrations planned for him. The “Protector of Thai Children,” the king is a father figure to many.

Despite the fireworks and jubilation, the pall of the tsunami’s impact still hangs over many parts of Thailand and in the minds of its people. The king himself lost a grandson to the natural disaster.

Last fall, I volunteered to speak about oral health at a boarding school in rural Thailand, R35, built to replace area schools that were destroyed as a result of the tsunami.

Hard candy is usually the reward of choice for Thai children in Khao Lak, which is just another reason why proper oral hygiene instruction is paramount for these kids.

The children at R35 school come from very poor families that can no longer care for them as a result of the tsunami; the school does not charge them to attend. Older students are often the ones who look after younger students, and hard candy is too often the treat or reward of choice. The tooth decay rate is rampant, and dental health education is minimal.

An American volunteer teacher from California, Maile Busby, and I set out to establish a dental health curriculum for this K through 12 school of 900 students. Much to my surprise, a portable dental chair was found for me at the local hospital. It was a battered and worn brown naugahyde chair that resembled a lawn chair from 1955. I started doing checkups at the school, and the dental health education of many Thai school children began.

Born a commoner and orphaned at an early age, the Princess Mother was educated as a nurse in Thailand. She continued her education both in California and Connecticut. While studying English in Connecticut, she was courted by her future husband, a royal Thai prince. He was studying at Harvard. The current king of Thailand was born in Cambridge, Mass.

During her lifetime, the Princess Mother’s foundation established the “flying doctors” program to bring dental and medical assistance to rural Thailand. Concerned over the Thai people’s lack of proper dental care, the Princess Mother invented a folding aluminum dental chair! Founded in 1969, her foundation continues on today having seen hundreds of thousands of dental patients. A caring and dedicated woman, Princess Mother regularly accompanied teams to the far flung reaches of Thailand, assisting in the administration of medications and offering a warm smile.

I have since been back to Thailand to work with the tsunami orphans again. This time, I had an opportunity to actually visit the Princess Mother’s villa in far north Thailand. Not only was there a display including her dental chair design, but Her Royal Highness actually had a private dental clinic attached to her Swiss style chalet!

The portable chair on display in Doi Tung was far more elaborate than the one we originally had at R35, including a removable head rest, aluminum bracket table, foot extension, and cone type cuspidor.

While The Princess Mother of Thailand may have passed away in 1995, we hope to continue her tradition of volunteer dentistry in the Land of Smiles.