Nuevas Sonrisas’ pop-up dental clinic

Each year, we transform a community space into a fully functioning dental clinic. Within hours of arriving, our volunteer team is ready to provide comprehensive dental care to a continuous stream of first and sixth grade children transported from the local schools.

Over the years, we have designed, built, and assembled much of the equipment needed to operate 14–16 fully equipped dental workstations during our week of service. Thanks to improvements in the community’s electrical infrastructure, our providers now use self-contained portable dental units that deliver high-quality care while maximizing efficiency and flexibility.

Every child treated in the clinic also receives oral health education, and their parents are encouraged to participate in educational sessions that reinforce healthy habits at home. By combining treatment with prevention, we help families build the knowledge and skills needed to maintain lifelong oral health.

Many of the clinic’s specialized furnishings, including our pediatric dental chairs and storage systems, were designed and built by one of our volunteers in the United States using readily available materials. These custom-built items and our other supplies are securely stored in Catocha between annual visits, allowing us to efficiently reestablish the clinic each year.

The care we provide is made possible through the generosity of our supporters. Most of the dental supplies needed to treat more than 4,000 children each year are donated by individuals, dental practices, manufacturers, and nonprofit organizations. In addition, generous grants have enabled us to purchase self-contained portable dental units and other essential equipment, helping us expand our capacity while maintaining high-quality and compassionate care for the children we serve.