Smiles at 14,000 Feet
The 3rd Annual Dental Campaign
High in the Andean highlands, where breathtaking landscapes meet daily challenges, preparations are underway for something truly transformative: the Quispicanchi Project’s 3rd Annual Dental Campaign.
Launched in 2024 under the leadership of our senior advisor, Gisella Briggle, the campaign has rapidly become one of the most impactful initiatives in our health programming. In just two years, the results have been extraordinary. Together with our medical partners and volunteers, we have treated over 600 individuals, addressed thousands of cavities, and provided access to critical dental care for many who had never before been able to see a dental professional.
But the numbers tell only part of the story.
For families in remote Andean communities, untreated dental problems are not minor inconveniences — they are sources of chronic pain, infection, lost school days, and diminished quality of life. In regions where access to care is scarce, a single campaign can change the trajectory of a child’s health and well-being.
2025 Dental Campaign Team
A Growing Network of Care
Each year, the campaign has grown stronger through collaboration.
Last year marked a significant milestone as the campaign team welcomed dentists and specialists from one of Lima’s leading schools of dentistry, bringing advanced expertise and expanding the scope of care available to patients. We also deepened our partnership with the local health posta in Urcos, strengthening referral pathways and continuity of care for those requiring follow-up treatment.
These partnerships are critical. They ensure that our work is not isolated, but integrated into a broader ecosystem of regional health services.
Why Sullumayo?
The heart of the campaign remains the indigenous community of Sullumayo, located at over 14,000 feet above sea level. Home to roughly 300 families, Sullumayo is a place of resilience, culture, and strength — but also one where access to basic services remains limited. Many households face challenges related to running water, electricity, reliable food access, and transportation.
In such contexts, preventative and restorative dental care is often out of reach.
Our annual campaign focuses on meeting this need directly within the community, delivering services that include:
Oral health education
Preventative treatments
Treatment of cavities and oral infections
Tooth extractions
Identification of urgent and specialized cases
Looking Ahead to 2026
This year, we are working to build on the campaign’s strong foundation with an important step forward: expanding our in-country team to include a dedicated Oral Health Coordinator. This role will be instrumental in planning, logistics, patient follow-up, and community mobilization — helping ensure that every campaign becomes more efficient, more inclusive, and more impactful.
The 2026 Dental Campaign will take place September 22–24, 2026, with an ambitious but achievable goal: to treat 300+ individuals.
We are also excited to extend the campaign’s reach beyond Sullumayo into surrounding communities, including Mujuncancha, a small neighboring community south of Sullumayo that is home to approximately 20 families. Expanding access means that more children, parents, and elders can receive care without traveling long distances through difficult terrain.
Beyond the Campaign: Continuity of Care
One of the most meaningful aspects of this work is what happens after the campaign ends.
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the strength of our local partnerships, individuals identified with urgent or complex needs will be referred for specialized care in Urcos and Cusco. For many patients, this represents their first-ever opportunity to receive advanced dental treatment — care that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
More Than Dental Care
At its core, the Dental Campaign is about dignity, health, and opportunity.
It is about a child who can finally concentrate in school without pain.
A parent who can eat and work comfortably.
An elder who no longer lives with chronic infection.
As we prepare for our third year, we are filled with gratitude for the clinicians, partners, and supporters who make this work possible. Together, we are not only restoring teeth — we are restoring comfort, confidence, and smiles at 14,000 feet.
And we are just getting started.
