GULF Sparks Smiles Returns to Ayutthaya for Sixth Year
GULF Development's mobile dental clinic returned to Ayutthaya for the third time in 2025, providing free oral care to residents of Nakhon Luang District while engaging youth volunteers in the company's six-year initiative that has served ov
Strong dental health forms the foundation of quality life. GULF Development Public Company Limited has partnered with Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Dentistry to continue the "GULF Sparks Smiles" initiative, bringing free mobile dental clinics to Nakhon Luang District in Ayutthaya Province for the third time in 2025. The program provides convenient, quick, and cost-free oral and dental care to local residents while encouraging youth to volunteer, embodying GULF's "Powering the Future, Empowering the People" vision to improve Thai quality of life alongside economic development.
Sumet Phrommes, an elderly resident of Nakhon Luang District, praised the program, saying he came because the mobile clinic was just 100 meters from his home. He noted that regular dental treatment is costly—extraction alone costs 500 baht per tooth—and many residents lack transportation or depend on family members to accompany them to hospitals. "This project is wonderful for people like us who live hand to mouth," he said, expressing deep gratitude.
Dr. Pabhawin Suwatcharadhamapumi, a volunteer dentist from Bang Pla-in Hospital, explained that the mobile clinic removes barriers for those unable to travel or unable to afford treatment. "Even those with free dental benefits often must arrive early at hospitals or wait long queues. When free dental services come to neighborhoods, these groups find it much easier to receive care. Thank you to the GULF Sparks Smiles program for allowing dentists to serve society and people to benefit fully," she said.
The program also engaged student volunteers. Patchita Srithanautyakorn, a Grade 10 student at Crest School Bangkok who dreams of becoming a dentist, volunteered as a youth helper. "This experience is different because I worked directly with real dentists," she said. "Though I was nervous at first, the dentists guided me well, which perfectly matches my dream. Seeing patients thank the doctors and leave with smiles made me feel proud and inspired to pursue dentistry. Thank you to GULF for this opportunity—it deepened my understanding of my dream profession."
Over six years, the "GULF Sparks Smiles" program has cared for the oral health of over 6,500 Thais, particularly disadvantaged and remote-area residents, providing free dental screening, scaling, filling, extraction, wisdom tooth removal, and fluoride coating through mobile clinics.
