One World Surgery and Dental Care
Transforming Lives Through Surgery, Primary Care, and Dental Care: A Legacy of Compassion
Sponsored by Fessler Dental Group in honor of One World Surgery
At the South Bend History Museum’s main gallery in the Knute Rockne exhibit, an inspiring art installation sponsored by Fessler Dental Group honors the life-changing work of One World Surgery (OWS). This exhibit is more than art—it’s an invitation to change lives.
OWS: Where Healing Knows No Borders
OWS is a nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality surgical and primary care to those who need it most. Since our founding by LuLu Daly and Dr. Peter Daly, a Notre Dame alumnus and orthopedic surgeon, we’ve mobilized thousands of volunteers and medical professionals to deliver compassionate care in Latin America for over 20 years.
With centers in Honduras and now the Dominican Republic—home to the country’s first ambulatory surgery center—we are bridging healthcare gaps by creating access to unmet needs in the communities we serve, including safe surgery, primary care, and more. Our in-country medical teams and medical mission volunteers build a legacy of hope and healing for our patients, their families, and the community—all at no cost to the patient.
A Smile Is Just the Beginning: The OWS Dental Program
Dr. Bill Fessler, also a Notre Dame alumnus, and with his wife Mary Beth, discovered OWS through a family friend and quickly fell in love with the mission at its flagship location in Honduras. Seeing an unmet need in the community, the Fesslers established the Fessler Dental Clinic in 2012, designed to work in tandem with OWS’s existing health services. Dental teams serve both children and adults, often seeing patients who have never had access to a dentist. Volunteer dentists and hygienists provide everything from cleanings and fillings to extractions and education, creating lasting change—one smile at a time. These services are a crucial part of our holistic model of care, helping patients live healthier, more confident lives.
Through the Fesslers and their community of support, access to world-class dental care is no longer a dream, but a reality. In 2019, OWS hired our first Honduran dentist, Dr. Karen Chan, to ensure patients can receive services year-round. Thanks to partners like Fessler Dental Group, our dental program brings critical care to individuals who might otherwise live in pain or go without treatment.
For more information about One World Surgery and the Fessler Dental Clinic please visit us at oneworldsurgery.org.
Get Involved. Change a Life.
Whether you support dental missions, surgical programs, or our patient care, your donation directly impacts lives. Pray for us and donate like a champion today!