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Our programs

Prevention, treatment and education for girls in Guatemala

Three programs delivered twice a year at the IMA School, from routine fluoride to oral surgery.
Girls in school uniform brushing their teeth together at the IMA School in Guatemala
Program one

Prevention

Dental cavities are the most common chronic disease in children, affecting both baby teeth and adult teeth. Underprivileged children are more likely to experience cavities, which leads to further problems when left untreated: tooth loss, gum disease and a higher chance of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

Through our preventative program we provide:

  • Fluoride treatments for each child every six months
  • Prophylaxis and teeth cleaning twice a year
  • Oral hygiene instruction twice a year
  • Silver Diamine Fluoride to arrest untreated cavities
  • Sealants
Program two

Treatment

By saving a tooth you preserve the smile for a lifetime. Dental treatment in early childhood is essential. Without it, decay can lead to tooth loss, severe infections, low self-esteem, gastrointestinal disorders, the inability to chew, undernourishment and other medical emergencies. Decay can also affect how adult teeth develop.

Through our dental treatment program we provide:

  • Oral surgery
  • Fillings
  • Extractions
  • Crowns
  • Orthodontia
  • Dental x-rays
The United Tooth Fairies volunteer dental team standing together in the treatment clinic in Guatemala
Program three

Education and nutrition

Happy teeth are healthy teeth, and healthy habits start at home. Our education and nutrition program gives IMA parents the resources to learn about oral hygiene and how directly nutrition affects teeth.
Most Guatemalan children lack the education or resources to understand the importance of oral health. There is lower oral health literacy, little access to food, and a scarcity of healthy produce set against an overabundance of junk food.
In Guatemala, one in every two children suffers chronic malnutrition. Research shows most children in rural communities have moved away from home-cooked meals and rely on snack foods through the day, mostly corn and sugar: fried food, chips, soda, candy and sugar-sweetened fruit drinks. Mothers often give babies coffee, soda, sugar water and corn flour water in bottles, flooding their teeth with fermentable carbohydrates and putting them at high risk of cavities.

Fund a program

Your donation pays for the fluoride, the sealants, the fillings and the toothbrushes that go home with every girl.
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United Tooth Fairies is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with tax-exemption status.