Thank You Sunstar for the Continued Toothbrush Donations!

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Donating Toothbrushes in Costa RicaChildren in Cocal, Costa Rica with their Sunstar Toothbrushes

For one of my first Blog/Facebook posts, I thought it would be important to share something with everyone that means so much to me both personally and professionally. As many of you know, our family has traveled to a remote area in Costa Rica for over 20 years in search of sun, sand, and perfect waves (left pointbreaks of course because my dad is a goofyfoot). While the warm water, beautiful beaches, and great surf provides the backdrop for an ideal vacation, the lifelong friendships and interactions with the community are really what keep our family coming back each year.

Dr. Brandon Bell distributing donated toothbrushes to local schools in Costa RicaWhat started as a way to give back to the community over 20 years ago, our annual toothbrush distribution to local schools continues with the help of toothbrush donations from Sunstar GUM toothbrush company. In the beginning as a shy teenager, entering a classroom in another country where nobody spoke English to pass out toothbrushes and give oral hygiene instruction was uncomfortable. However, the simple act of giving out toothbrushes to people in need has helped create lifelong friendships and a connection to the local community, something we do each day with patients in our Carlsbad dental office. These experiences helped me realize the positive impact I could have on people’s lives through dentistry and is part of what inspired me to become a dentist.

Rady Children’s Hospital Holiday Benefit

In addition to donating close to 10,000 toothbrushes to school children in isolated and underserved areas in Costa Rica over the years, this past December, with the help of Sunstar, we provided over 150 toothbrushes to children at Rady Children’s Hospital. Each year our patients and close family friends, the Frazees, collect and donate gifts over the holidays to kids at Children’s Hospital to honor Toothbrush Donation at Rady Children's HospitalTJ Frazee and brighten the spirits of the children battling various ailments at the hospital. Thank you again to the Frazees for their commitment to honoring TJ in such a special way by helping others, and we look forward to continuing the tradition of donating toothbrushes for many years to come. In the words of my great friend TJ, “Peace and Love.”

Dr. Brandon Bell