You just can’t beat having a bright and beautiful smile when it comes to giving your confidence a little boost. Yet for many folks around the world, being able to practice good oral hygiene and making regular visits to the dentist isn’t possible. This holds especially true in poverty-stricken third-world countries where some folks can go their entire life without ever even owning a toothbrush, much less seeing a dentist. However, Brazilian dentist Felipe Rossi wishes to change that. Felipe happens to know how much it means to people to own a smile; they can feel proud to show off to others.
He also understands the emotional and physical pain that comes with being stuck with a mouthful of rotten and broken teeth. So, he decided to set up a special charity called Por1sorriso, which aims to fix the teeth of people living in poverty all over the world, free of charge. And so far he’s helped about 1,500 people! On his Instagram, Felipe shares his amazing before and after photos of some of the hundreds of people whose teeth he fixed for free. One look at their smiling faces, and you can just tell how much Felipe’s work means them.
And, Felipe doesn’t just perform restorations, he also offers more routine medical treatments like cleanings, fillings, crowns, and root canals. He’s also gathered an army of over 4,000 registered volunteers who join him on trips to impoverished towns and villages.
A typical five-day mission usually can cost the charity around $5,000, and it’s entirely funded by fundraisers, sponsorships, and individual donations.
“Everyone gives what they have… me and everyone from @ por1sorriso… we give love.”
“Our actions are worth more than words … building a better world is not done with syllables and verb conjugations. Doing is a transformative act … the country with the largest number of dentists in the world … also has one of the biggest social inequalities and segregating dentistry … millions don’t know what sitting in a dental chair is like … It’s time to SMILE.”
“We believe someday smiles will be for everybody.”
While other programs are out there that help with dental care around the world, Felipe says that Por1sorriso goes much further.
“This assistance is very different from projects where people simply get toothbrushes and toothpaste.”
He strongly believes that giving folks a renewed confidence in themselves can produce long-lasting effects that extend into their home and work life.
Felipe has already set a very ambitious schedule for 2020, but his organization relies on donations to keep his good work of bringing bright smiles to the faces of the impoverished around the world going strong. Seeing how much positive change these people’s lives have experienced just from transforming their smiles is so inspiring! We should all try to use our talents and skills to help those in need.
Please share Felipe’s story with your friends and family.
Source: Rare