Changing the world one smile at a time
Nuevas Sonrisas: A week in rural Guatemala with the team
Team members gather every March in Guatemala City to begin our adventure. After welcoming new volunteers and greeting returning colleagues, the team travels by bus to Santa Catarina Mita, a three-to-four hour trip southeast of the Capitol city where we spend a week in a mobile dental clinic or on roving prevention teams, providing much-needed care to thousands of school children. We are greeted by representatives from the schools, the municipality, and the health department who are eager to partner with us. Each day team members are taken to their work sites for a full day of challenging work beside Guatemalan dentists and health care workers.
We transform a community space into a fully operational dental clinic within hours of our arrival, and our dental providers go to work doing restorative dental work, sealants and fluoride applications, extractions and whatever we can do to improve the dental health of children who rarely or never see a dentist. Ten to twelve providers and their assistants treat kids all day while other volunteers keep the generators and compressors running smoothly for them. Volunteers sterilize equipment, while others teach dental health to waiting children before ushering them to providers.
Prevention teams travel from school to school with Guatemalan health workers to educate parents, children, and teachers on the importance of dental hygiene and good nutrition. They also apply fluoride to all school children they see.
Our comprehensive approach to dental care requires a team up to 32 volunteers for a full week of rewarding work. There are many opportunities to interact and learn from the Guatemalan people, who are gracious and welcoming. The children are fun, friendly, and curious about Americans. They crowd about the volunteers for hugs and photos.
The team returns to a simple, comfortable hotel in the early evening and enjoys a nice meal together and spends time relaxing and debriefing. By the end of the week, team members have forged friendships by doing meaningful work together and getting to know the locals and their wonderful children. It is especially satisfying knowing that we have made a difference for children in one corner of the world, one smile at a time.
More details in the FAQ.
To apply to volunteer, please fill in our online application.