When it comes to champions for access to quality dental care there are probably very few of us whose minds would go to famed musician Lenny Kravitz. But that’s what makes his mission to help provide oral health care to his home island in the Bahamas, Eleuthera, even more meaningful.
Mr. Kravitz has quietly teamed up with his personal dentist, Dr. Jonathan Levine, to make annual humanitarian missions to Eleuthera where they provide free dental treatment to anyone who needs it. To make these missions a reality, Mr. Kravitz and Dr. Levine combined the resources from their individual foundations, Let Love Rule and GLO Good Foundation respectively, to ensure that this small island community doesn’t go without proper oral health care.
In their most recent trip earlier this year, they were able to provide care to over 400 island locals. With their team of dental professionals and volunteers they were able to provide treatment ranging from routine cleanings and fillings to root canals and extractions, all in the name of improving the lives of the islanders through access to oral healthcare. And Mr. Kravitz knows that the work they’re doing is not just essential but invaluable to a community that has only one dentist to care for the entire population.
In an article shared by the ADA, he said, “Oral health is a big deal because it can indicate signs of other issues and offer what can sometimes be a life-saving warning. But more than that, it’s your smile. If you’re proud of your smile, you’ll show if off. You’ll exude happiness. You’ll connect with the people around you.”
And as for Dr. Levine he’s long been a champion of using his knowledge and privilege as a dentist to ensure he’s doing his part to help communities around the world have better dental health. He and his wife started the GLO Good Foundation 10 years ago and have travelled near and far to not only provide dental treatment directly to underserved populations but also teach them about ways they can maintain their oral health with the resources they have.
Combining both Mr. Kravitz’s and Dr. Levine’s deep desire to give back to their communities meant that partnering to bring dental care to Eleuthera was a no-brainer for the duo. And after four years working together the sky appears to be the limit for what their two foundations can do together to improve access to health care on the island and beyond.
One way they’re expanding their reach is through toothpaste called Twice that Mr. Kravitz created with Dr. Levine’s two sons. Twice’s mission is to provide a toothpaste that’s made responsibly with safe and effective ingredients at a fair price to encourage preventive at home care to help maintain a healthy smile. But perhaps the greatest impact of the business is that 10% of proceeds from every sale go directly to the GLO Good Foundation. With these funds they plan to expand their work in Eleuthera so they are eventually able to provide medical health care on the island, too.
And while Mr. Kravitz’s schedule is always a little hard to nail down—being a world renowned musician will do that to you—he’s continually dedicated to bringing the best dental care he can to the island he calls home. And with the help of dental professionals like his good friend Dr. Levine, he’s well on his way to ensuring this life-changing mission continues to grow for years to come.
