Felipe Rossi Dentist Fixes over 1,500 Poor Peoples Teeth For Free | Travels around offering Free dental Care to those who can't afford in Brazil and East Africa
The Brazil-native, 38, said that his team can perform up to 1,500 dental procedures during a typical 'action' in a village or town; providing invaluable services for communities who need it most. Felipe also serves as the Director of Fundraising for Por1sorriso and while the NGO boasts up to 4,000 registered volunteers, the reality can be quite difference due to the cost of the undertaking.
He recently told R7 news that each five-day mission in Brazil, which generally takes place in town halls, schools or theaters, will cost up to R $ 20,000 ($4,974).Sponsorship generally comes from two private companies and, recently, from oral hygiene brand Colgate.
Individuals can also donate through the 'Smile Solidarity' program, choosing monthly amounts to donate and Por1sorriso hosts regular fund-raising events to keep up with the cost of continuing the free dental service around the country.
(The Federal Council of Dentistry estimates that about 20 million Brazilians have never been to the dentist.) 'There are costs that people have to bear and, with that, many people end up giving up on the action,' Felipe said of the volunteers. On Instagram, Felipe routinely calls out how restricted access to dental care is.
He also admitted how Por1sorriso is 'struggling to survive' because of the expense of the dental work and the constant fundraising required.
After all, he said, the assistance that his 'social project' Por1sorriso provides is 'very different from projects where people simply get toothbrushes and toothpaste'. Sharing a photo of a young woman who was given a dental makeover earlier this month, Felipe said 'I didn't do dentistry to take care of teeth, but to take care of people'.
Awakening smiles, without business relationship, just for love, connects us with something bigger,' he said. 'One day, [a] smile will be for everyone and tears will fall with joy, just for being able to smile.' The photo shows the woman in tears of happiness as she sees her new smile for the first time.
Of the transformations, Felipe also said: 'Our actions are worth more than words; building a better world is not done with syllables and verb conjugations. Doing is a transformative act. Referring to Brazil he added: 'The country with the largest number of dentists in the world also has one of the biggest social inequalities and segregating dentistry.
'Millions don't know what sitting in a dental chair is like. It's time to wake up ... it's time to smile.'So far, Felipe and the team have visited Africa nine times.
He jokes that Por1sorriso is something of a 'smile factory', delivering aesthetic makeovers with a deeper meaning everywhere the team goes.Below are some of the most incredible and heartwarming transformations that Por1sorriso has provided in Africa and Brazil.
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