Dr. Richard Reckmeyer
Executive Director and Team Leader

About Dr. Richard Reckmeyer
Dr. Reckmeyer fell in love with Rwanda in 2006 during a safari to Eastern Africa. His first exposure to Rwanda was the Kigali Memorial Centre. He saw the destruction of human life that results when an immoral leader is in power and what a human being is capable of doing to another human being.  Philip Gourevitch, in his book “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda” states that the 1994 genocide was the “most efficient mass killing since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” 

On his way to Volcanoes National Park for a gorilla trek, Dr. Reckmeyer noticed how clean the roads were and asked the guide why.  The guide said that once a month, everyone, including President Paul Kagame, picks up debris including all forms of polythene bags. The guide went on extolling the virtues of President Kagame who “ended our slaughter”. Dr. Reckmeyer thought “What a difference a moral leader can make!”  While visiting Rwanda, Dr. Reckmeyer and his wife, Jan, saw the hope in the eyes of the women and children; and it “was love at first sight” for Dr. Reckmeyer.

Since 2006, Dr. Reckmeyer looked for different ways to give back to Rwanda ranging from volunteering to help advance Rwanda’s tourism industry to designing an organization to improve the oral health care in rural Rwanda.  

In 2007 he met Dr. Jerry Denning, a dentist, and his wife, Mikell Denning, a hygienist, introduced him to the work they were doing in Kenya through Kenya Medical Mission. The Kenya model incorporated caring for immediate dental needs and, incorporating a three week intensive training program to prepare Kenyans to carry on the work after Dr. and Mrs. Denning returned to the United States.  The first seed of Rural Rwanda Dental was planted that day because Dr. Reckmeyer believed the Kenya model could be modified to fit the needs of rural Rwanda. 

In 2008, Dr. Reckmeyer accepted an invitation to be the only dentist on a People to People Citizen Ambassador Healthcare and Medical Education delegation. Unfortunately, his trip was cut short for medical reasons but his dream of returning to Rwanda continued.

In March, 2009, the African Wildlife Foundation referred Dr. Reckmeyer to Dr. Mike Cranfield, Executive Director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project. On the second phone call with Dr. Cranfield, Dr. Reckmeyer pointed out that the Mountain Gorilla One Health Approach had a flaw - it didn’t take into account that communicable diseases can be transferred from the mouth of any human being to other humans as well as to gorillas! Dr. Cranfield immediately set in place provisions for Dr. Reckmeyer to join him on his June, 2009, trip to Ruhengeri, Rwanda.

Facilitated by Dr. Cranfield and Dr. James Farer, Dr. Reckmeyer met with the VIPs from Ministry of Health, Kigali Health Institute’s Dental Department, Musanze District, Ruhengeri, and Community Health Centres in the district.  He also interacted with villagers living in nearby rural areas.  The most significant achievement was recruiting John Berchmans HABIMANA and Jean Claude RUKUNDO to participate in the pilot project . The ideas presented were well received, and a plan was developed to schedule a pilot project at the Ruhengeri Hospital.  If successful, the RRD model, “Building Sustainability Through Education,” will be replicated in all community health centers in Rwanda. It was during this time that a partnership with Michael Grosspietsch, Executive Director for Eos Visions was formed.

In January, 2010, Dr. Reckmeyer returned a fourth time to fine tune details for the June, 2010 trip.   During this trip, a partnership with Josh Ruxin, CEO of Access Project and Rwanda Works was developed.  Michael’s and Josh’s team’s support is critical to our project.

In October, 2011, Dr. Reckmeyer will lead an oral health delegation to Rwanda with People to People Citizen Ambassadors Program that will focus on all facets of the dental delivery system.

Read more about the 2012 RRD "Dream Team" and the 2010 RRD "Dream Team"!