WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao will expand its mobile dental care program next year with the addition of two new dental buses, following the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) and Brazilian bus manufacturer Marcopolo. The vehicles are part of the ongoing Pendiente di Bo Djente (“Care for Your Teeth”) program, aimed at making preventive and basic dental care more accessible to wider segments of the population.
The program, which has been in operation for several years, currently runs with one mobile clinic. With the arrival of two additional units, the Ministry plans to broaden its services to reach more locations across the island.
The buses will operate on weekday mornings near schools and in the afternoons in neighborhoods, care facilities, or public spaces. Specific locations will be announced through the Ministry’s social media channels.
Marcopolo Selected as Supplier
Following a public tender, Marcopolo was chosen as the supplier. The Brazilian company is already familiar in Curaçao through its previous work with the ABC Busbedrijf for public transport. The new dental buses will be outfitted with modern dental equipment and sustainable battery systems to ensure a reliable, uninterrupted power supply during procedures.
Expanded Dental Services on Wheels
Each mobile unit will carry two dental hygienists and one assistant. While the current bus mainly provides dental checkups and cleanings, the new buses will also be able to perform basic procedures, such as filling cavities. For more complex dental treatments, patients will be referred to traditional clinics.
The Pendiente di Bo Djente program focuses especially on children, neighborhood residents, and elderly individuals in care facilities—groups that often face barriers to accessing regular dental care.
This expansion reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive public health and early prevention, bringing essential dental services closer to the people who need them most.
