The Smiles Forever Foundation has 25 years of experience in community dental care, including the successful use of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) to arrest active caries and prevent new disease. In partnership with Universidad Catolica San Pablo, we are developing and stablishing an SDF program to serve 287 children ages 4-12 in Arani, Cochabamba, a community with scarce or non-existent dental services. Our goal is to prevent caries progression and detect and treat serious oral diseases early.
Dental caries remains highly prevalent among vulnerable children, driven by high-sugar diets, limited oral hygiene, and lack of access to affordable, culturally appropriate dental products and care. As a result, many children suffer from untreated decay, pain, and infection. A shift from reactive to preventive care is essential. SDF and fluoride varnish offer effective, accessible tools to arrest existing caries and prevent new disease.
This project will shift dental care from a reactive to a preventive approach by providing accessible treatment and education to children in an underserved rural community. Through dental screenings, cleanings, fluoride varnish, SDF, and GIC restorative treatments, the program will prevent and arrest caries, reduce pain and infection, and promote lifelong oral hygiene habits.
The project will improve long-term oral health by reducing untreated dental caries, pain, infection, and preventable tooth loss among children in underserved communities. By combining preventive treatments with oral health education, it will help establish healthier habits at an early age. The program can also provide a sustainable model for expanding affordable, preventive dental care to other rural communities in Bolivia.
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