Family Oral Health Care Experiences in Armero–Guayabal, Tolima (2022–2025)
Since 2022, UNICA – Universidad El Bosque, in partnership with the Fundación Creciendo con Amor y Alegría, has undertaken initiatives aimed at strengthening the oral health of children and families in Armero–Guayabal, Tolima. These early efforts, initially conducted on a voluntary basis and later linked to national health promotion initiatives, enabled the identification of significant social vulnerabilities associated with a high risk of dental caries, while also revealing a community committed to seeking collective solutions to its needs.
In 2024, within the framework of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future, a participatory action-research project grounded in social appropriation of knowledge was established. Its objective was to co-design and implement family oral health care plans with 50 families affiliated with the Foundation, with support from Colgate-Palmolive, Universidad El Bosque, and community facilitators from the organisation.
The initial phase involved family assessments through home visits and clinical examinations. These activities identified barriers to accessing and using dental services, challenges in supporting children’s oral hygiene practices, unfavourable conditions for self-care, high consumption of sugary products, and a substantial caregiving burden borne primarily by women. At the same time, families demonstrated a strong willingness to adopt changes aimed at improving their oral health. Individualised care plans were jointly developed with each family.
Between 2024 and 2025, educational activities, family follow-up processes, caregiver interviews, and community capacity-building initiatives involving adolescents and Foundation volunteers were conducted. In addition, dialogue and knowledge-exchange sessions with families, supervised toothbrushing activities in schools, and coordination efforts with local health stakeholders were promoted.
After one year, improvements were observed in oral health care practices, attendance at dental appointments, selected household conditions supporting oral hygiene, and levels of dental plaque among assessed family members. Beyond clinical outcomes, the project has strengthened community capacities for care and highlighted the close relationship between oral health, living conditions, and the social determinants of health.
