Nuevas Sonrisas: What we do

Each year in the spring, the Nuevas Sonrisas team travels to the rural town of Santa Catarina Mita in southeastern Guatemala.  Over a one-week period we work with our Guatemalan colleagues to provide a variety of dental services to more than 3,000 elementary school children who normally have access to little or no dental care.

We have been going to the same community for more than 12 years and have created a close working relationship with the parents, teachers, the local health department and local government.

The main focus of our care is prevention. We partner with the local health department to apply fluoride to children and provide dental education to children, their parents, and teachers. We set up a full-service mobile dental clinic in a community space. Children are bussed in from surronding community schools for treatment and education.

In our clinic, sealants and fluoride – two of the most effective prevention measures available – are applied, fillings and extractions are provided for all children who need treatment and sometimes adults as well.

We work closely with local schools to promote good dental health, providing on-going education to students, teachers, and principals.  Parents and community leaders are also included in our efforts.  Prior to COVID, our team set up daily toothbrushing areas in classrooms and we hope to do so again in the future.  For now, we focus on providing toothbrushes and toothpaste, thanks to a generous donation from Colgate-Palmolive Guatemala, to children and their families and education regarding the importance of daily brushing.

We are responsive to the needs of the community. When the Municipality asks us to include other underserved rural schools, we  to respond by expanding our team to provide the additional services.

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