Mariana Dolores
The impact of poverty in oral health
- President of the board of Mundo A Sorrir, since 2018
- Graduated in dentistry by Fernando Pessoa University, 2004
- Master in International Non Governamental Organizations by Webster University London, 2009
- Post-graduated in Odontopaediatrics by CESPU, 2012
- Fellow of the International College of Dentists, since 2016
- Co-founder of Mundo A Sorrir, 2005
- Nominated to several social entreperneurs awards, namely the “European Health Leadership Award 2019”
Nationality: Portugal
Scientific areas: On Our Agenda
27 of november, from 14h30 until 15h15
Sala 3
Conference summary
Poverty and the lack of oral health mutually influence themselves, as a vicious cicle.
Noma, a disease also known as the face of poverty is one of the biggest examples of this impact. To think of a disease that in the XXIth century affects mainly small children and kills 70-90% of the affected population, is something that can’t leaves us indifferent.
Poverty and the lack of access to oral health care leaves the less advantaged population leaving with severe difficulties. Also, it is known that a good oral health enables a better quality of life, better self-estime and better working possibilities, this way social inclusion works as one step ahead to break the cicle of poverty.
Mundo A Sorrir, founded in 2005 with the mission of promoting health and oral health as a universal right, was created to minimize some of these problems. Throughout it’s 15 years of existence has proven that poverty, without a doubt, influences negatively the oral health of the populations.