At Storybook Smiles, we’re passionate about giving back to the community and extending our services wherever we can—especially to underserved communities. Just recently, Dr. Patrick and our team member, Lucy, took a mission trip to Guatemala to work with both children and adults in need of dental care. Read on to learn about how we got involved in this opportunity and about our experience!
How It Started
While in dental school, Dr. Patrick would make trips to Guatemala to aid in providing dental care to the community. Once he became a pediatric dentist, he knew this was a tradition he wanted to continue.
Dr. Patrick & Lucy’s Trip to Guatemala
The majority of their time was spent providing children’s cleanings and treating cavities, and there were even a few opportunities to treat some of the kiddos’ parents as well! When they weren’t working, Dr. Patrick and Lucy took some time to explore the beauty of Guatemala before heading back to Texas.
Our Future Endeavors
One of our annual traditions is to form a line and give each child a hug before returning to the U.S. (Check out a quick video of the tradition on our Facebook page!) We’ve established a unique bond with the community and we plan to return each year. We’d be thrilled to provide you with more information if you’d like to learn how you can help.
Healthy Smiles in Tyler, TX
We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful organization and the Guatemalan people. A portion of Storybook Smiles’s annual proceeds also goes to support the children in Guatemala. Helping them achieve healthy smiles has been a rewarding experience every year. Until our next trip, we’ll be treating the smiles right here in Tyler, Texas. We look forward to seeing your little one in our office very soon! Contact us today to schedule their next checkup.
