Transforming Smiles: Smile Doctor Brings Vital Oral Care to 1,000 Dwellers in Warri Community

One thousand residents in Itshekiri community, upper Erejuwa in Warri, Delta State, recently experienced a successful oral care outreach organized by Smile Doctor Foundation.

This initiative in partnership with Royal Iwere Foundation was to lessen oral disease burdens among the elderly and children but also attracted women of various ages in the riverine and underserved area.

Dr. Funmi Adeniyi, founder of Smile Doctor, expressed satisfaction with the event’s impact, noting the joy it brought to participants. “It was intense!” She let out a sigh. “The smiles on the faces of the children and elderly made it all worth it.”

Luxe Dental emphasized the importance of maintaining healthy oral habits, encouraging attendees to brush their teeth twice daily.

To further encourage good oral hygiene, the foundation distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste to beneficiaries.

They also offered dental consultations and counseling sessions, medications along with services such as scaling, polishing, fillings, and extractions among other surgical procedures to 50 persons.

“We examined over 1,000 people thanks to Royal Iwere Foundation for pulling the crowd for us.

“Our aim is to make oral care accessible to marginalized populations across Nigeria, particularly focusing on the elderly and individuals with disabilities who face unique oral health challenges,” explained Adeniyi.

“Our goal is to raise awareness about oral health and reduce the global burden of diseases associated with it.”

While the foundation has consistently conducted free outreach programs in Lagos, it recognized the urgent need to extend these efforts to other states.

Adeniyi acknowledged that funding has been a significant challenge for the Smile Doctor Foundation’s outreach efforts. “The costs of transporting staff from Lagos to Warri and covering treatment expenses were substantial burdens.”

She emphasised the critical need for collaboration, calling on individuals and organisations to join forces in improving oral health access and reducing disease burdens across Nigeria.

This partnership approach is crucial given the country’s dental healthcare challenges, where only one dentist serves approximately 200,000 residents.

Smile Doctor is going full steam ahead with its mission of democratising oral care, particularly for marginalised populations, and expanding its reach beyond Lagos to other Nigerian states.