Teethsavers International is a 501(C) Christian humanitarian organization based in the United States that's dedicated to oral healthcare to the world's most impoverished children. The Teethsavers program to save six-year molars has gained the international attention of the World Health Organization. Teethsavers serves all of God's children, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. We are
an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to allow God to use our hands and tools to simply love and care for His people. In the Third World countries we serve, lack of dental care is a major health crisis. In fact, most of the children in our countries have never owned a toothbrush, leading to deadly infections and decay. For example, Sierra Leone (Africa) has ONE dentist per 1.1 million people. There are 19 dentists in Malawi (Africa); 18 of them are in private practice while one is designated for government personnel’s only. None of which are situated anywhere close to the rural areas. Founded by Dr. Jack Rudd, a dentist in Lubbock, Texas, over a decade ago, Teethsavers was originally established to promote oral healthcare through education and treatment in the rural areas of Africa and South America. Using songs, visual dialogue and interactive activities, Teethsavers teaches children and parents about the importance of oral hygiene. Today, our organization has evolved to provide many more programs. We reach God's children through orphan feeding programs, donate hundreds of dresses and shorts for orphans each year thanks to our "Sewn With Love" partnership and volunteer our services at refugee camps, orphanages and crisis nurseries. We are stewards of all that God has given us: our time, our talents, and our material treasures. (Ephesians 5: 15,16; Peter 4:10-12; Matthew 6:16). We don't consider ourselves dental professionals -- we are simply servants of Christ. In fact, many of our board members and volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and provide talents in various ways. We keep our focus on discipleship, knowing that all the other necessities for fulfilling the Great Commission will be provided as well. The major concern with oral healthcare in our countries is the lack of awareness. Teethsavers International has a strong relationship with government officials across Africa. With the Lord guiding our steps, it's our hope that the government will continue to implement initiatives that will build greater awareness of the issues surrounding oral health. OUR DENTAL STRATEGY:
Saving teeth, particularly the six-year molars, saves lives because the ability to chew results in better nutrition, thus better health. In fact, the average life expectancy in Malawi, Sierra Leone and Zambia has decreased in recent years to an average of just 37 years old. Teethsavers focuses on children in grades one through four, going to the schools to check the children for gum disease and cavities, teaching the children and their parents how to clean their teeth to prevent tooth loss. NEW DEVELOPMENTS: Thanks to our partnership with Colgate-Palmolive Company, Teethsavers Malawi is able to extend the reach of Colgate’s “Bright Smiles, Bright Futures” oral health education program to thousands of children each month. Just recently, Colgate implemented a soap program and the Malawi team teaches children the importance of washing their hands. Teethsavers Malawi now provides free toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap to the most needy children thanks to Colgate. Also, recognition of the work by the World Health Organization, which has called for a field study to determine if Dr. Rudd's approach would be a suitable model for improving dental health in countries without access to dental technology. HOW THE PROCESS WORKS: Our country director is in touch with Ministry of Education and other government officials to determine the most needy villages and schools. Someone goes the week before to make arrangements for the team to come to the village. The group is licensed by the government to do the health work. Since our team spends an entire week in the remote village, the planning process is very tedious, yet extremely important. When the Teethsavers teams arrive on Monday, they are met with hundreds and hundreds of children chasing them through the village. The kids deeply seek outside interaction and it's considered a great treat to have visitors. At the same time, our Teethsavers team is truly blessed and thankful to interact with the kids, parents and educators. Our teams understand that our greatest mission is to spread the love of Jesus Christ. We start each day with prayer and a devotion to God. We then set up mobile clinic units in side school rooms while hundreds of anxious children pack into dirt-floor classrooms, anxious to see what's next. A few of our team members head to the classroom to teach songs on how to brush and the importance of cleaning. We also implement a "friend to friend" program so the children can practice brushing with their partners. During the same time, our other team members head over to meet with the mothers, who often show up with infants attached to their hips. Since most of the villagers have no access to television or newspapers, they don't understand why dental care is important. We teach mothers the same things we teach their children and they, too, learn songs and dance. In addition, we take special opportunities to meet with widows because they often care for a handful of orphans. We have a deep heart for widows and do our best to provide extra for them. Next, the children line up and we give them toothbrushes and toothpaste. The mouths of students are checked and those needing additional treatment head to a classroom to meet with our dentists and dental therapist. From there, cavities are cleaned and filled with a substance that actually bonds with the tooth, creating a barrier against infection. The restorative process is superior in its bond, but not as hard as the materials that dentists typically use. However, the ART process, developed by a Scandinavian dentist, does not require drilling or cause pain. After we finish, we go around the village and get to know the people and eat with them. Afterward, we sing, dance and pray before heading to bed on mattresses inside schoolrooms. Since most schools have thousands of children, it requires us to stay an entire week. The next morning we joyously wake up and start the process all over again, thankful that God has allowed us to love His people. Teethsavers Malawi also owns a guesthouse and rooms are rented by volunteers and missionaries from around the world. In 2021 we purchased land at Airwing in Lilongwe where office will be constructed which shall have a large conference center and over eight guest rooms. Through financial backing and donations, we hope to start construction and open doors as soon as possible. If you are interested in volunteering with Teethsavers International, regardless of background, we'd love to have you join our team. Please send a message on this page and we'll answer as soon as possible. "Love one another as I have loved you." -John 13:34
