Kool Smiles Partners with Flying Doctors of America to Deliver Dental Care in Bolivia

Two Kool Smiles dentists will join a team of medical volunteers with Flying Doctors of America this Sept. 4-10 to deliver much needed dental care to children and families in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Atlanta, GA., Aug 22, 2016

Two Kool Smiles dentists will join a team of medical volunteers with Flying Doctors of America this Sept. 4-10 to deliver much needed dental care to children and families in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The partnership is part of Kool Smiles' new global outreach initiative, Kool Doctors Giving Back, which aims to bring, quality, compassionate dental care to underserved communities throughout the world.

Kool Smiles selected dentists Janyn Baird, DDS, Traveling Dentist for Texas, and Deborah Butler, DDS, Traveling Dentist for Virginia, to participate in the Flying Doctors of America mission trip to Bolivia, where they will provide dental care to incarcerated individuals and their families at a low-security prison complex in Santa Cruz. Approximately 4,500 people are incarcerated at the Santa Cruz Prison. Many families of those incarcerated also live within the prison complex, in living conditions difficult for most Americans to imagine. Some have never visited a dentist and do not have access to basic supplies like toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Drs. Baird and Butler will conduct dental examinations, extractions, restorative procedures and cleanings at the prison complex. The dentists will also provide families with dental health kits and Spanish-language dental health education materials.

"Our first priority will be to address any emergency care needs, such as toothaches, cavities and extreme pain due to untreated dental problems,” explained Dr. Butler. "We're hoping to help as many people as we possibly can. We will also be distributing toothbrushes, toothpaste, and kid-friendly dental education materials, so that local families can have healthy smiles long after we leave."

"At Kool Smiles we believe every person deserves access to dental care, no matter where they live," said Dr. Baird. "While our dentists and staff strive to carry out this mission in our local communities every day, this trip is a way for us to make a positive difference in another part of the world. I am grateful for this opportunity to give back as a dental professional."

Flying Doctors of America is a global organization that brings together physicians, dentists, nurses, and other health professionals and non-medical support volunteers to care for people who otherwise do not receive regular and professional medical care.

"We fly wherever there is a need – and the dental health needs of this Santa Cruz prison population are significant," said Allan Gathercoal, DD, founder of Flying Doctors of America. "We're thrilled to partner with Kool Smiles and bring vital dental services to this community."

The Kool Doctors Giving Back program is sponsored by the Benevis Foundation. For more information about the Bolivia mission trip with Flying Doctors of America, please visit www.koolsmilesjobs.com/ksgivesback.

About Kool Smiles
Kool Smiles is dedicated to creating a world of happy, healthy smiles. As a leading dental care provider, Kool Smiles’ mission is to improve lives by providing high quality dental care in a fun, compassionate environment. Kool Smiles dentists are proud to offer care to kids and adults with almost any insurance plan, including State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP), Medicaid and Tricare. Kool Smiles, with support from the Benevis Foundation, also provides oral health education programs through partnerships with community schools and organizations. For more information, please visit www.mykoolsmiles.com.