Cimas and Smilestar Foundation Bring Smiles to Rural Zimbabwe

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe – The Smilestar Foundation, in partnership with Cimas Health Group and Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, has launched its second annual free dental outreach program in Zimbabwe. The initiative, which began on March 9 at Mkhosana Clinic, has already provided critical dental care to over 700 patients in its first three days.

Dr. Badiani, founder of the Smilestar Foundation, highlighted the unique collaboration with Cimas, which provided a mobile dental clinic. “This is the only place in the world where we have a mobile dental clinic accompanying our team,” Dr. Badiani stated, noting that this allows the team to offer restorative services like fillings and cleanings in addition to necessary extractions.

Despite the successful turnout, the medical team expressed concern over the severity of dental issues in the region. Dr. Alan Gura, Head of Dental Clinics at Cimas Health Group, noted that the majority of cases involved advanced dental caries (tooth decay).”We’ve been treating patients who have been in pain for over 20 years because they haven’t been able to access or afford treatment,”.

The doctors observed that decay is appearing at increasingly younger ages, a trend they attribute to high sugar consumption and a lack of affordable oral hygiene products.

As Zimbabwe prepares to celebrate World Oral Health Day, medical experts leading a dental outreach in Matabeleland North are calling for a shift toward preventative care. Doctors from the Smilestar Foundation and Cimas Health Group are urging parents and corporations to take a more proactive role in oral health.

Dr. Badiani offered several practical tips for families to reduce the risk of decay:

• Limit Sugary Drinks: Children should avoid fizzy drinks. If consumed, they should use a straw to minimize the sugar’s contact time with teeth.

• Cut Added Sugars: The doctor warned against the common practice of adding multiple teaspoons of sugar to tea and coffee, noting some patients use up to ten teaspoons per cup.

• Early Education: Establishing healthy habits early is essential to preventing lifelong dental struggles.

The outreach team also addressed the economic barriers to oral health. Dr. Badiani called on major toothpaste and toothbrush manufacturers to make their products more affordable. Under current market conditions, many families cannot follow the recommended guideline of replacing toothbrushes every three months.

Dr. Gura concluded with a simple but powerful mantra for the upcoming World Oral Health Day: “A happy mouth is a happy life.” The outreach program will continue its mission over the coming days, moving from Hwange to the Matobo District.