In April 2022, a young dental student from the University of Costa Rica, Paola Coto, joined Unspoken Smiles as a volunteer. Her first assignment took her to Escuela Francisco Gamboa Mora, where she spent the day teaching children how to brush, sharing preventive tips, and distributing toothbrushes during an outreach program organized in partnership with and the International Organization for Migration (IOM Costa Rica).
What began as a simple act of service quickly set her on a path far greater than she could have imagined.
Today, that same student is Dra. Paola Coto, the newly appointed Regent of Clínica Unspoken Smiles, formally recognized by the Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Costa Rica. In this role, she now oversees the ethical, professional, and legal standards of our clinic in San José—an achievement that reflects not only her personal journey but also the transformative power of service.
A Path Shaped by Service
From her very first volunteer experience, Paola showed not only clinical skill but a genuine passion for reaching children who might otherwise go without basic oral health education or care. Her commitment quickly distinguished her, leading to her appointment as one of the inaugural board members of Asociación Unspoken Smiles Costa Rica.
After graduating and earning her license as a dentist, Paola embraced an even greater responsibility—guiding our clinic as its official Regent. Her journey from student volunteer to licensed dentist to Regent is living proof that when mentorship and opportunity are paired with vision, they can transform not just individual careers but entire communities.
The Zero Cavity Impact in Costa Rica
Through the dedication of our team, Unspoken Smiles has laid a strong foundation for the Zero Cavity Initiative—an ambitious effort to eliminate cavities among schoolchildren by focusing on prevention, education, and access to care. In Costa Rica, this work has already achieved meaningful milestones:
- Trained 40 Unspoken Smiles Fellows in partnership with ULACIT, equipping the next generation of socially conscious dental leaders.
- Reached more than 1,000 schoolchildren across two provinces and seven schools, delivering preventive education and oral hygiene kits directly to classrooms.
- Established the first eco-friendly community dental clinic in San José, dedicated to free preventive and restorative care for children.
And next month, as our clinic fully opens its doors, more than half of the schoolchildren we screened with existing cavities will begin receiving treatment from our dedicated fellows—bringing us one step closer to a future free of preventable dental disease.
A New Movement in Dentistry
Through Unspoken Smiles, we are building a new movement in dentistry—one grounded in service, prevention, and community impact. Too often, dentistry has been defined by treating disease after it occurs. We are working to redefine it as a force for equity and empowerment.
Paola embodies this vision. Her journey proves how opportunities to serve can spark leadership and transform children’s health. While her story began in Costa Rica, our mission reaches far beyond.
By establishing Unspoken Smiles Costa Rica as a global hub for community impact in dentistry, we will extend these opportunities to dental professionals worldwide—empowering them to lead change in their own communities, just as Paola has.
More Than Teeth
Oral health is often treated as secondary in global health policy, yet cavities remain one of the most common—and preventable—childhood diseases. Left untreated, they cause pain, missed school days, and lifelong disadvantage.
For Paola, this work has never been just about teeth. It’s about dignity, opportunity, and the chance for every child to grow up healthy and confident. Her journey proves that when service and vision come together, they can spark systemic change.
At Unspoken Smiles, we believe leaders like Dra. Paola Coto represent the future of healthcare: committed, community-driven, and unafraid to reimagine what’s possible.
And it all began with a single volunteer experience.