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Welcome to Associação Odonto-Criança |
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Mouth disease cause pain and disability for millions of people. This fact is disturbing because almost all oral diseases can be prevented.
For children, cavities are a common problem that begins at an early age. Tooth decay still affects nearly a fifth of 2-4-year-olds, more than a half of 8-year-olds and more than three-fouths of 17-year-olds. Hardest hit are low-income children!!!
Untreated tooth decay may cause pain, suffering, absence from school, underweight and poor appearance – problems that can greatly affect every aspect of a child’s development and reduce a child’s capacity to succeed in life.
In the city of São Paulo (Brazil) the traditional public health approach to preventive dentistry has not yet succeeded. Although the water is fluoridated, dental education programs are rarely given in the public schools, a small percentage of the poor population has access to dental care and most area dental care providers do not offer interactive education for parents to promote good oral health habits.
Associação Odonto-Criança
Background, goals and program overview
In January 2000, a group of local dentists formed the “Associação Odonto-Criança” (AOC). The main objective was to volunteer their services in order to take information on dental health and provide dental treatment for underserved children of the city of São Paulo.
The AOC has implemented a comprehensive dental education program to help children develop good oral hygiene habits, such as daily brushing and flossing. The educational program also includes community dental health fairs for children and their families, as well as seminars for staff and caretakers. During these fairs, among other things, all children go through a clinical consultation with a dentist and a dental record is filled out. Volunteers at their own private offices or directly in the community provide restorative dental treatment for those in need. During the first 48 months of the program, the AOC provided dental care to 1540 patients.
The AOC receives no governmental funding. It relies mainly on donations from individuals, corporations and fund-raising events. Want to know more about the AOC?
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