Local Dentist Bringing Smiles to Needy Kids

Imagine going 13 days without brushing your teeth. Now, imagine going 13 years.

That's just one example of the conditions Dr. Kyle Stanley of in Fountain Valley faces during his yearly visits to countries in South and Central America, where he travels to set up and work in free dental clinics.

"It's pretty emotional," Stanley said. "There are a lot of parents who are bringing us crops that they've grown or some kind of gift that they want to give us, and they always want to hug us, and they're crying. It's pretty cool."

Stanley, 28, is part of a program called Ayuda (Spanish for "help"), which he joined in 2006 while attending dental school at USC. Each year, about 50 dental students and five professors travel to developing countries, where they set up mobile dental clinics that last about four days.

Often times, Stanley said, the clinics are literally set up in the jungle using generators, mobile X-ray units, flashlights, and, in some cases, newspapers for pillows. Locals line up for days in advance for services, but, Stanley said, the real impact is in the education that follows the procedures.

"Really the most important thing we're doing is not the fillings or the extractions or anything," he said. It's the oral instruction, teaching these people how to take care of their teeth in the future. If we can teach these people how to take care of their teeth, how to use a toothbrush, i think we can really do a lot."

In addtion to Ayuda's international efforts, the program also conducts monthly clinics in Los Angeles and Orange County, where, Stanley said, the good he's able to do often has a deeper personal impact.

"I've been pretty fortunate in my life, and I've always given back because we live in Orange County, where there is so much money, but there's also so much poverty that's overlooked," he said. "It can be just as bad here. A lot of times, we're educating the moms and dads."