A new dental clinic in the Mayan Jungle
Global Dental Relief
Macario Gomez, Mexico
THE ORGANIZATION
Global Dental Relief (GDR) is a Colorado-based nonprofit with a mission to bring free dental care and oral health education to children around the world. Since 2001, GDR has provided dental care to more than 255,000 children globally!
Teams of volunteers work in field dental clinics to provide free dental care to children who would otherwise have no access to treatment. GDR welcomes volunteers from all professions and backgrounds—you don’t need to be a dentist to volunteer! Each team typically includes five dentists, two hygienists, and about 10 non-dental volunteers.
Global Dental Relief extends its reach by delivering toothbrushes and oral health education in local schools between clinics and providing critical nutrition support to children in high-need situations.
The project
In partnership with the Cultural Care Kids First Foundation, Global Dental Relief hosted two week-long dental clinics in the rural area of Macario Gomez, Mexico. These clinics were set up in a local municipal building, where children from surrounding villages came to receive life-changing dental care. For many children, these clinics were their first-ever dental visits!
Inside each GDR clinic, children received a dental exam, a cleaning when possible, and all necessary restorations and extractions to restore their dental health. Additionally, they were given a brand-new toothbrush, a fluoride treatment, and three comprehensive lessons in oral health education.
During the two-week operation in Macario Gomez, GDR’s mission impacted a total of 1,333 children!
778 patient visits to the clinic
555 children received oral health education and a brand-new toothbrush through GDR’s outreach initiatives in local schools