Planning a trip to Africa?
Please do not bring candy for the “poor Maasai children.”

On January 26, 2007 a six year old Maasai girl was brought to our mobile clinic at Siana Springs Intrepids near the Masai Mara. Her mother, through a translator, told us her daughter could not sleep, cries a lot because of pain and a swollen face. After examining her I discovered her upper permanent six year molars were hopelessly decayed and abscessed. She already had four teeth ripped out without anesthesia, using the point of a knife in her local manyata. I asked the mother, “Who gives your daughter candy?” She replied, “The tourists that visit our manyata.”

Safari Dentist Mission

• Stop the flow of tourist candy into the Masai Mara Reserve area.
• Provide dental education to Maasai school children on cause and effect of eating candy.
• Establish a permanent dental clinic at Siana Springs Intrepids lodge which is the epicenter of need.