Healing Through Smiles: Volunteer Dentists Serve Antigua
In Antigua, Guatemala, a healthy smile can be life-changing—but for many, access to basic dental care is out of reach. This week, our Medical Missions Foundation volunteer dentists from Minneapolis, Minnesota are working hard to change that.
Each day begins with lines of patients—children, parents, grandparents—waiting patiently for a chance to be seen. Some have never visited a dentist before. Others have lived with pain for years. Inside our clinic, set up in Obras Socialase Del Santo Hermano Pedro Hospital, the hum of dental instruments is accompanied by laughter, reassurance, and the occasional sigh of relief.
Our dental team performs cleanings, fillings, and extractions— over 120 expected this week. But they offer much more than dental procedures. They provide education on oral hygiene, give out toothbrushes and toothpaste, and spend time making sure each patient feels seen, heard, and cared for.
Dental care can be taken for granted, but its impact is deep and lasting. A child who can eat without pain. A mother no longer kept awake by a throbbing tooth. A grandfather who can smile again without shame. These are victories worth celebrating.
We are so grateful to our volunteer dental team for their skill, compassion, and dedication. Their work in Antigua is restoring not just teeth—but dignity, confidence, and joy.