Medical/surgical missions are temporary health care services, of short duration, usually given free to underserved communities by the initiating or sponsoring entity. This sponsor may be a government unit or agency, a government official, a private philanthropic individual or group, a private non-government and non-profit institution or even a for-profit institution that uses its resources for a philanthropic purpose. Foreign-based organizations also conduct medical/surgical missions. These missions provide medical, surgical and dental services or a combination of services such as medical/surgical or medica/dental care.