Frequently Asked Questions

---

March 15th - 21st, 2025. All participants must be in country by March 15th. Many participants will likely choose to stay through until Saturday

Each trip combines dental humanitarian work with a relaxing vacation. We have partnered with the folks at Keelooma.com, who will provide us with an all-inclusive 3d/2n experience on the remote island of Linapacan in San Miguel. The dental component will be built into the 4th and 5th days of the trip. 

We are now accepting deposits!

The total cost is $2,500 USD plus your airfare to/from your home airport and Manila airport (MNL). To secure your spot on the boat, a non-refundable deposit of $400 will be required by October 31st, 2025. As this payment is sent directly to the tour guide, no refunds are available. 

This is a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit so make sure that you can attend. The remaining payment will be due no later than January 31st. 

Attendees signing up after January will need to pay in full with $400 allocated to a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit.  

The $2,500 payment goes towards paying for the all-inclusive experience from Coron to El Nido, island-hopping adventures, 2 group meals (Coron and El Nido), in-country flights, guides, and miscellaneous supplies.  We are also pleased to announce that starting in the 2025 trip we will include optional zip lining, canopy hike, scooter rentals, ancient cave excursion, and massages as part of the tuition!

You will need to arrive at Manila airport, airport code MNL, by Saturday, 3/15. Be sure to double-check your arrival date as Asia is 9-12 hours ahead of most US states. There are several airlines that fly direct to MNL from the west coast including Philippine Airlines and United Airlines. There are often less expensive options with stops in Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Tokyo, and more. We recommend using GOOGLE FLIGHTS to check for the best options. I have also heard great things about Hopper.com to monitor flight options and get flash deals.   

We will be arriving on Friday, 3/14/25. If you plan to come early, please let me know so I can assist with getting an additional night to your hotel – there is an additional cost for each night extra. 

The most important thing to budget for is airfare. For several reasons (cost being the driving factor), We will have you all make your own airfare arrangements to Manila (airport code MNL) from your home airport and the return back home.
Most meals will be included, however on island tour days before and after the clinic island hopping excursion, you will largely be on your own for meals. The hotels should be serving breakfasts included with your stay. We will also do a group meal in Coron and in El Nido for those who want to participate – there is no additional cost for that.
Souvenirs or other things you wish you buy will also be your responsibility. 

Please budget for tipping our guides from Keelooma. Tips for the guides (recommended about $20 or 1,000 Philippine Peso per person, US currency okay). 

There are several activities to be had in Manila, Coron, and El Nido on our free days. We will be happy to help you find good deals and negotiate prices for these excursions but they will also be your responsibility. We will be providing a daily itinerary & suggestions each day of the trip.

When we have the final count and secured reservations for the hotel in Manila, additional information will be coming. Because of the nature of the multiple terminals that are very far apart, it is best if you download the Grab app ahead of arrival. Connect to wifi while still in the airport and make arrangments for a ride to the hotel. This should be around the $5-10 range. When we land in Coron on Sunday, we will have about a 45-minute van ride to the town proper. This is paid for already; you do not need to do anything to arrange transportation. 

In Manila, we are expected to stay at a Wyndham type property. It is not glamorous, but it will have air conditioning and is next to an outdoor mall, the Manila Bay, and not far from the airport. Because Coron and El Nido are smaller towns, there are no brand name hotels or chains but several independently owned motels. They are safe, provide linens, showers, and air conditioning. While not “roughing it” these do not have the same standards as the hotel chains you are used to in the states. During the island-hopping portion of the trip, we will be staying in a variety of accommodations but mostly we will be in bamboo constructed structures. This is the Philippines experience you are hoping for. Please see the Keelooma website for more information on this. You will be sharing rooms (but not beds) with one other person, please let me know if you have a friend also coming on the trip that you would prefer to room with. Because many of these smaller hotels do not have enough rooms, there is not an option to have single person occupancy. 

Prevention focused on SDF and Glass Ionomer sealants, and education to each of the classrooms. Dentists will be doing exams and scoop and fill with Glass Ionomer restorations.  

Gloves, masks, toothbrushes, and toothpaste – one box only of each. Too much and it will get taken at the airport by security. We will discuss this as we prepare for the upcoming trip.

The Philippines is a tropical climate with temperatures averaging in the 80s to low 90s during our trip. It is not uncommon to have a brief afternoon rainstorm, though a warmer rainstorm. Expect mostly hot and dry (but humid) conditions. We are also going to be in the water quite a bit so plan for swimwear and shoes or sandals that are reef and water friendly, comfortable. Snorkels and goggles are provided but if you prefer your own, you’ll need to bring them or purchase them in Coron. Sizes, quality, and availability can vary in the Philippines. No dress clothing is required. Often a t-shirt or tank, shorts, or swimwear will be worn. Sandals/flip flops and tennis shoes should be packed. While working, clothes appropriate for working with children - no swimwear, no inappropriate language on clothes, or pictures, etc is appropriate for clinic days. It will be very warm so we do not rec. full scrubs to avoid overheating. While we are island hopping from Coron to El Nido, your luggage will be stored in the belly of the boats called “bangka”.  You will have access to them once we get to our camp for the night but not during the day, unless emergency.

Please see packing list provided by Keelooma for additional items such as drybags, insect repellent, reef safe sunscreen and more. We will also be providing our own packing list based on experience.

Please bring all prescribed medications and keep them with you whenever you think you’ll need them. You will have limited access to your luggage while on the boat, so if you need to bring meds for during the day, keep them in a backpack or a daypack. Additionally, consider bringing OTC meds for headache, upset stomach, seasickness/nausea (patches work great for me but look at all options) and any other meds you might need.

This can only be answered by your medical professional. As a healthcare provider, you should be up to date with the appropriate vaccines for seeing patients. Additionally, there are some regional recommendations (like Typhoid) that you should speak with your healthcare provider about. For Covid 19, at last check, fully vaccinated persons were exempt from testing requirements while others had to supply proof of a negative test within 24 hours of departure from their country of origin. 

I always recommend it. I use Allianz but there are plenty to choose from if you google it. I always pick an option that has emergency medical coverage. In March 2023 I paid $120 for 3 people to be fully covered for 12 days. 

If a US Citizen, no. You do not need a tourist or any other kind of visa for stays less than 30 days. At last update, you will need to fill out the etravel.gov.ph form no more than 72 hours before you depart for the Philippines.  

Manila will have a variety of options including several brands you’ll find in the US - McDonalds, KFC, Din Tai Fung, Hard Rock Cafe etc. There are also plenty of local places to eat. In Coron and El Nido, you should expect to eat more local cuisine. El Nido more than Coron will have places that serve Italian food, burgers or pizza. On the trip from El Nido to Coron you will be served authentic Filipino food. What does that mean? Filipinos have rice with all meals. They also have vegetables and a protein. On the last trip with this group, I had a meat and potatoes dish called Chicken Adobo and a noodle dish called Pancit. There was also Chop Suey, different fish options, sautéed veggies, lots of fruit options (mango, pineapple, watermelon etc). They also have water, coffee, tea available in mornings and evenings.

When it comes to the food, all prepared food should be safe to eat. However, I personally stay away from vegetables that are not cooked, non-Filipino dishes (like pastas), water that is not purified, and ice that does not come from purified water. I will always feel safe with fruits and cooked Filipino food. The people preparing your food earn their livelihood by cooking for foreigners, it is not in their best interest to accidentally serve something that will make someone ill, but accidents happen. 

At the time of writing this, you will need to fill out the etravel.gov.ph form no more than 72 hours before you depart for the Philippines. That is the only document. Be sure your passport has empty pages for stamps as well as at least 6 months until it expires. If you are transiting through a different country for your arrival, and are staying inside the airport (not going through customs/immigration), then you should not need additional documents for that country, but please double-check for your specific situation. There is an app that is easy to download through the website.

The Philippines is incredibly affordable once you get there. The big-ticket items in country will be covered by your tuition but if you like to snack or want to go on a special excursion, you should bring a little extra. Likely, $300 will be more than enough. 

For reference, in El Nido there are 4 island hopping tours that last most of the day and include a lunch. This should not cost more than about $30. Local food will be much less expensive than Western options but you could expect $5-$10 meals to be easily found. Do not bring anything larger than a $20 USD for exchanging or you can arrange for your bank to get you Philippine Pesos before your trip. 

The exchange rate is about 1 USD to 55 PHP (Philippine Peso). A simple way to figure out how many dollars you are spending is to double the price in pesos then drop off the last two digits – if its 100 pesos, you double it to 200 then drop both zeros and its 2 dollars. 15,000 pesos – double it to 30,000, drop the two zeros at the end and its $300.

There are ATMs in the airport, around Manila, and in El Nido. Coron does not have as many but you might not need as much there. Money exchange is likely only at the airport so if you are bringing cash, please plan to exchange that upon arrival. If you are using an ATM card, plan for the same charge of $3-$5 dollars per transaction to remove money. Often there are limits to how much you can withdraw at one time in the Philippines. If you run out of money, come find me immediately and I will help you figure out what to do. The best place to buy trinkets to remember your trip will be in El Nido. They have better shopping options than Coron, and you will not have to lug what you buy around for the beginning part of the trip. But I would say if you see something you want to buy either in Manila or Coron, do it. You might not see that thing again at a later place. 

Pro Tip - if you use a credit card, have them run it in the local currency and let your bank/cc company do the conversion rather than the establishment you are at. You will get better rates with the cc company. 

The Philippines is not known for its blazing fast internet. Wi-Fi in hotels can often only be found in public areas such as the lobby, maybe your rooms. I would expect that Manila, Coron, and El Nido will have passable internet speeds at the hotel. On my last trip from Coron to El Nido, we had very spotty service in random places on the water. You may purchase a hotspot to bring with you if needed.

This is a great time for a digital detox. We want to be attentive and be able to not be distracted. Please plan accordingly! 

Like any place you travel to, you just need to have your wits about you. Generally, the Philippines is very safe with a warm and welcoming people. But in places of poverty, petty theft isn’t uncommon. If you feel unsafe, let me know immediately. If you need to go out at night and need someone, please find me and I will go with you or arrange for someone to be your buddy. Most places are closed late at night so there is very little reason to be out. That being said, you are all adults and can make your own choices. On the boat, your belongings will be safe and guarded at all times. Obviously keep valuables with you, but your other items will be attended. On the islands, we are often in a place where it's just us and infrequent homes surrounding us. 

Most places we go, they will have a decent grasp of English. It will likely be broken or with an accent, but they will understand you better than you understand them. Our guides on the island-hopping trip from Coron to El Nido are fluent in English, even with jokes. Having said that there will be certain times that you’ll need a translator like at a bakery in Coron or the public market in El Nido. There will be at least two of us but also probably some other attendees that can speak the language and will happily translate for you, just let us know. 

YES! Classes may change each trip, but there will be CE offered from the comfort of your own hotel room or the front of the boat (or maybe on the beach if people are having too much fun).