Dentist Shares Heartwarming Before and After Photos of Smile Makeovers He's Freely Offered to Underprivileged Communities
Helping poor and underprivileged people was at the core of Brazilian Felipe Rossi’s decision to become a dentist.
Driven by compassion and a desire to make the world a better place, Rossi works tirelessly to make dental care accessible to all.
Rossi, 38, travels throughout Brazil and parts of Africa bringing professional dental care to communities that cannot afford dentistry or do not have access to a dentist, the Daily Mail reported.
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Rossi and his team of volunteers offer a wide array of services to patients, ranging from cleanings, dentures and root canals to restorative work, all for free.
Through his non-governmental organization “Por1sorriso,” Rossie and his colleagues bring healthy, confident smiles to those with poor oral health, forever changing their lives for the better.
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The before-and-after photos of many of Rossi’s patients speak volumes about just how life-changing it is to have a strong and healthy smile.
“I didn’t do dentistry to take care of teeth, but to take care of people,” Rossi said, according to the Daily Mail.
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“Awakening smiles, without business relationship, just for love, connects us with something bigger,” Rossi said.
“One day, [a] smile will be for everyone and tears will fall with joy, just for being able to smile.”
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Rossi wanted to do more than simply talk about the ideals and philosophies behind helping people — he wanted to take action in a tangible way by showing up in the neediest of communities, equipped and prepared to make a difference.
“Our actions are worth more than words; building a better world is not done with syllables and verb conjugations. Doing is a transformative act,” Rossi said.
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Sustaining the non-profit work has been difficult for Rossi and his small team of volunteers. While around 4,000 people have expressed a desire to support Por1sorriso, Rossi said that finding people to follow through, show up and finish the job has proved problematic.
Once people realize the time and cost associated with bringing free dental work to people in need, many leave the project.
“There are costs that people have to bear and, with that, many people end up giving up on the action,” Rossi said.
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In his home country of Brazil, Rossi has found a great disparity between the number of practicing dentists and the number of people who are able to access proper oral care.
“The country with the largest number of dentists in the world also has one of the biggest social inequalities and segregating dentistry,” Rossi said.
“Millions don’t know what sitting in a dental chair is like. It’s time to wake up — it’s time to smile.”
Despite the hardships of constant fundraising and recruiting quality volunteers, Rossi is determined to continue. With each new smile brimming with confidence, Rossi and his team know that all the hard work is worth it.
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