Your Aurora Dentist Ready For Next Mission Trip

Next month, our Skyview Family & Cosmetic Dentistry team will pack our bags and embark on our seventh consecutive dental humanitarian mission to Guatemala. We’re all very getting very ancy … because we just can’t wait to see the excitement on the children’s faces when we arrive!

How it all began … In 2012, Raluca, our Restorative Dental Hygienist & Myofunctional Therapist, pitched the idea of going to the Central American country to give the gift of a life-changing smile. Our eyes lit up – what a great idea! We immediately said, “let’s go!”

The journey has been an incredibly rewarding one for myself and our team. There’s nothing quite like seeing the children’s faces every year and noticing how their smiles change every time we visit them. Along with their parents, they live in difficult conditions, and, because they are in remote areas, don’t have access to quality dentistry care like we do. Sadly, often soda is the only clean beverage they can drink.

As your Aurora dentist, I know how important a healthy smile is, how it contributes to a better quality of life, and helps prevent other health-related conditions. That’s why I love putting my dentistry skills and knowledge to good use this way. My fellow team members feel the same way!

Here are a few statistics that shed light on life in Guatemala …

  • Tooth decay is a major dental problem in the area.
  • Some of the top reasons for poor oral health are a lack of personal oral hygiene, unhealthy diet, and absence of fluoridated water.
  • More than half the population lives below the poverty line.
  • A total of 13% of Guatemalans face extreme poverty.
  • Nearly half the population is younger than 19.

When we return, we will gladly share our experiences with you during your next visit. Just ask … and mention you learned about our trip in our blog!