News + Issues

Teen earns national service award for toothbrush collection

Paige meeting with a Minister of Senegal, who promised he'd have the toothbrushes I provided delivered to the poorest areas in his country (and kept that promise)
Paige meeting with a Minister of Senegal, who promised he’d have the toothbrushes provided delivered to the poorest areas in his country (and he kept that promise!)

“While brushing my teeth one night in 2010 when I was 16, I had the thought to start collecting toothbrushes. I researched and found out that, outside of major corporations like Colgate, not many individuals had made a concerted effort to improve the state of oral care in the US and overseas through the widespread distribution of this simple implement which many of us take for granted. Most people are not aware that dental caries are the most common chronic disease in the world; however, they are largely preventable with proper oral care.” Paige Alenick is a young lady with a vision. ASDA read about her story of how she was able to collect toothbrushes for those who need them most.

Paige on FoxNews Live describing DAT.
Paige on FoxNews Live describing DAT.
Paige delivering a presentation to the United Nations Youth Assembly where Donate A Toothbrush (DAT) was featured as a youth-driven organization that has already made a difference in the world.
Paige delivering a presentation to the United Nations Youth Assembly where Donate A Toothbrush (DAT) was featured as a youth-driven organization that has already made a difference in the world.

Most of the third world lacks dentists and oral health education. Also, poor oral care is associated with other diseases like heart disease and diabetes. After starting a web site (http://donateatoothbrush.com), small donations started arriving. With Paige’s family’s assistance, she reached out to local dentists, religious organizations, Scout troops and schools. Later, she contacted dental supply companies and large corporations which enabled the organization to rapidly expand. She has collected and distributed more than 145,000 toothbrushes to families in developing countries as well as locally (such as to victims of Hurricane Sandy and women’s and homeless shelters, soup kitchens and more). She knows that each toothbrush distributed means one less person has to suffer from the pain that poor oral health can cause. Paige plans on continuing her education so she can obtain a degree in psychology with a minor in child and adolescent mental health studies. After that, she plans on attending graduate school. Good news, Paige plans to continue her work with Donate-A-Toothbrush! Do you want to donate toothbrushes to help Paige’s cause? Please send to Donate-A-Toothbrush, 333 Old Hook Road, Suite 101, Westwood, NJ 07675.

~Neek LaMantia, San Francisco ’16, electronic editor

Neek LaMantia

Neek is a dental student at the University of California, San Francisco and ASDA's electronic editor. She works with bloggers to schedule content on Mouthing Off each week and also runs a personal blog called Say Yes to DDS.

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2 Comments

  1. Wow.. that is really amazing services by the international student . Congratulations !

  2. What a great idea! I did a trip to Brazil to provide toothbrushes and floss to orphan children. I hope to one day be very involved in service trips to not only deliver oral healthcare items, but also provide dental work for those who can’t afford it!

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