Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
DR Antony Chinhara, an orthodontist from Zimbabwe, has long been concerned about dental hygiene among the youth. His passion for oral care was ignited during his time at Thekwane High School in Plumtree. Orthodontics, the dental specialty that focuses on correcting bites and straightening teeth, became his chosen field.
It’s a profession that can transform lives by fixing crooked, overlapping, twisted, or gapped teeth through treatments like braces, clear aligners, and retainers.
Now a renowned orthodontist, Dr Chinhara dedicates time to educate school children about oral health. He views these talks as a service to the community and a way to address the concerns of his younger self, who was troubled by his peers’ neglect of their dental care.
“I have always loved the mouth I think that is why I chose this profession. The mouth is one important aspect of our lives that as people we often don’t care about yet it has the power to destroy our lives and make us not fit into society,” Dr Chinhara explains.
With practices in Bulawayo, Harare, and Lusaka, his mission is to serve and educate on the importance of oral care.
“After some years of being in practice I saw it fit to soothe my inner child and help children to take care of their teeth. That is when I started doing my health talks to different schools about the mouth and how it must be cared for. I am not surprised at how children always tell you they forgot to brush their teeth in the morning or that they only visit the dentist when their teeth start aching,” he shares.
Dr Chinhara finds it surprising that many avoid the dentist until problems arise. To combat this, he distributes dental care items like toothpaste and toothbrushes during his visits. His outreach isn’t limited to any particular school; it spans from urban to rural areas, wherever there’s an invitation or a need identified by his team.
From humble beginnings in a small office with two employees, Dr Chinhara’s practice has expanded to over 50 workers. These outreaches are his way of giving back to the community that has supported him for over a decade and to inspire future orthodontists. — @flora_sibanda
Online Reporter