Our Work · Health
Dental Mission
Free dental care in a region where most people have never seen a dentist.
Since 2011
Over 8,200 people treated
One of the major programs of the Cheerful Heart Mission provides free dental care to those living in the impoverished border region of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Since our first dental clinic in 2011, our volunteers have treated over 8,200 people in need, performing over 29,000 dental procedures.
Our 13th Dental Mission
Six days. One clinic. Lasting relief.
- 18
- Volunteers
- 740
- Patients treated in 6 days
- 3,300
- Procedures performed
- 5,000
- Toothbrushes distributed
Treatment included extraction, restoration, cleaning, fluoride, and sealing. The team also distributed 2,000 tubes of toothpaste.
Our approach
Acute care, then prevention
Our dental clinic focuses on acute care, with the priority being to restore decayed or damaged teeth. The team also applies fluoride and sealant to healthy teeth for decay prevention. Our long-term goal is to reduce dental disease and thereby improve the overall health of the communities we serve.
Cheerful Heart Mission employs a full-time dentist for the community of Tilori and surrounding communities, the only dentist serving a population of 18,000 people. The mission also regularly provides dental equipment and dental supplies.
The need for dental care in this region is great. Dental care is available on a limited basis in the larger cities, but most people in rural areas do not have access to a dentist. There exists only one dental school in all of Haiti, and it graduates a small number of students. With very few dentists in the country, dental care is unavailable to most Haitians.
In this border region, owning a toothbrush is considered a luxury. Decay and other health risks associated with poor oral hygiene can be reduced with access to toothbrushes and toothpaste, and with basic education. We teach proper brushing techniques to children and adults, and distribute instructional material explaining proper dental care. Education is one of our priorities and a key to improving general community health.
Dental disease can lead to serious health complications, including disability and death. The consequences of going without care are devastating — but they are preventable.
Watch
Dental Mission 2021
Behind the mission
It takes a team
Many of our volunteers are dental and medical professionals who give a week of their time to serve.
Have a skill to offer?
If you're a dental or medical professional — or you simply want to understand the work better — we'd love to hear from you.