Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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Over 300 children benefit from Happy Smiles Dental Programme
When it comes to Dental care in Guyana, statistics from the Ministry of Public Health show, only 31.9 percent of the Guyanese population had an annual checkup last year.
Lending a helping hand to change this state of affairs is a US based Dental programme which is being pioneered by registered Dental Hygienist Miss Jonnel Mortley. Last week, over 300 children across the country benefitted from her non-profit organization.
Speaking to Kaieteur News on Saturday at the Lenora Help Centre, Mortley said that she was inspired to return to her homeland and contribute in such a manner based on the findings of a visit she made some years ago.
On that visit, Mortley, who has been a hygienist for seven years, said that she noticed many children in various communities were in need of Dental care and education. Ever since, she has been on a mission to offer her services for free to children in need.
Dental Hygienist, Miss Jonnel Mortley providing Dental care to one of the children from the Save R Kids orphanage.24
“This is my fourth year coming back to Guyana and teaching kids in schools and communities, how to brush, floss, what they should and shouldn’t eat to protect their teeth and I always give them a Dental care kit. Thursday last we took care of close to 300 kids in Bartica. And now we are here at the Lenora Hospital and Health Centre providing Dental care to the children of the Save R Kids Orphanage which is based in Cornelia Ida,” Mortley said .
She noted that the undertaking to provide help to those in need has turned out to be such a fulfilling experience that she was motivated to start her own company called “Happy Smiles” which is registered in new York, USA. Her annual Dental care missions to Guyana will now be placed under that umbrella.
Mortley and her team are hoping to target other rural communities next year where her services would be of great benefit.
Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton told this publication that he is proud of the work that was done by Miss Mortley and her team.
“This is the kind of collaboration we need in our sector and I would like to congratulate her for her efforts. We encourage Miss Mortley to continue along this path. She will surely inspire others to do the same and even more.”
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