Change the world with us.
Our vision is a dental health worker within reach of everyone, everywhere.
We envision a future where children can enjoy healthy, happy smiles, free of oral disease and related health complications.
We create access to quality dental education and disease prevention programs for children, as well as career training in dentistry for women, to promote better oral health outcomes and economic development in the world’s most disadvantaged regions.
OUR HISTORY
From Tragedy To Global Activism
Following the tragic 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Jean Paul Laurent, then a student at NYU’s School of Dentistry, returned to his native country to provide free dental care and supplies to a camp. While there, he was moved by the unwavering smiles of young children as they played amid the rubble and devastation around them–many of whom were suffering from severe tooth decay. Looking at these children, Laurent vowed to preserve the quality and health of their smiles and those of all disadvantaged children around the world–and the Unspoken Smiles was born. Since our founding, we have grown from a pilot project in Haiti into a global movement, serving over 10,000 children in 9 countries across 4 continents.
WHO WE ARE
Learn about Unspoken Smiles’ founder, leadership team, and global advocates.
Our members, volunteer leaders, and staff work tirelessly for change every day. Meet the people behind the work.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2023-2030
A proposal of what we want to achieve by 2030.
The burden of #OralDisease is at an alarming all-time high and requires urgent action. We are enthusiastic to join the battle upward and forward toward a better and healthier future, beginning with the assurance that every child in the American Hemisphere has access to a healthy, and meaningful smile.
OUR VISION FOR CHANGE
According to a new Global Oral Health Status Report published on november 21, 2022 by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that oral diseases affect more than 530 million children worldwide, directly affecting their school attendance, social interaction, and overall health. Oftentimes, these oral diseases are completely avoidable, such as untreated tooth decay, but are left overlooked, as oral disease is considered the fourth most expensive disease to treat.
Unspoken Smiles recognizes the lack of access to oral healthcare as one of the most under-publicized, and simultaneously one of the most detrimental, factors limiting the full potential of children in low-income areas. With a focus only on preventative care, we will installed community dental clinics throughout the Americas that will provide critical primary care services at substantial savings creating unparalleled access to preventative care.
HOW WE WORK
What further provides Unspoken Smiles with a strong competitive advantage is our multi-prong approach that includes education programs that will be effective in driving a grass roots behavior change and healthy oral habits for a lifetime. In addition, Unspoken Smiles will also provide attractive fellowships for mid-career level training creating economic opportunities and tackling root causes such as women empowerment and economic development.
STRENGTHEN LOCAL SCHOOLS
We partner with individuals, organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, as well as other entities to implement strategies that will promote dental health and minimize tooth decay in children in the Americas
TRAIN DENTAL HEALTH WORKERS
We are recruiting the largest army of community dental professionals dedicated to solving the oral health crisis in the Americas by 2030. As a result, community and frontline health workers acquire new knowledge and skills and apply them in the delivery of primary health services within their own community.
DELIVER DENTAL CARE
We are building the world's first fully preventative dental clinic. With a tax deductible contribution of only $17/month or $204/year, we will extend primary dental care services to the Americas most remote communities by designing, growing, and sustaining national networks of community and frontline dental health workers.
Help us Create Happier, Healthier Futures For All
Join our movement to bring quality oral health care to those in need.