Helping Families Break Cycles of Violence

There is nothing more important than a smile. But at the same time, there is nothing more terrifying for a child than a trip to the dentist.

A trip to the dentist has not been a major point of fear for those in Fundación Junto con los Niños (JUCONI). Many of the families that JUCONI serves are extremely disadvantaged and live day to day. The idea of doctor and dental visits for preventative measures is something that is very rare for the populations that JUCONI works with.

With that said, JUCONI had the privilege to host a visit by local dentistry students from a local university to teach about the importance of dental hygiene. Following the completion of the workshop explaining proper brushing techniques, each 20 of the JUCONI kids were able to receive a dental cleaning and a small kit to take home to show off their knowledge.

JUCONI was there to show the kids that the dentist is nothing to be afraid of. When a red fluoride was used, fear immobilized the group with everyone as blood was the first thing that came to mind. Order and tranquility was restored when my colleague Aurelio rinsed his mouth to show that his teeth were cleaner than ever. It was then his task to try to control the line as kids hurried to be the next one for our makeshift dentist´s chair in the local school of Socio Vivienda.

Our team at JUCONI was so happy to make such an impact on the healthy development of kids and we hope that each kid is able to teach their neighbors, siblings, and even parents, about what they learned. We could not be more grateful for the local university dentistry students for coming to see what life is like in our communities and with the greatest kids we know. We are grateful for your continued support and only wish you could accompany us to take pride in the changes that we see each day.

Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely,

Joseph Amiri