Why we solve: Dr. Moitinho's story
August 18, 2026 | Read time: 5 min
Bringing easier fluoride treatment to patients with special needs
Some patients can't tell you when they're in pain. They can't always sit still in a dental chair, lie back for treatment or wait while a product takes effect. For many people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy, a routine dental visit can feel overwhelming. Yet oral health matters just as much for them as for anyone else.
That's the challenge a partnership in Vinhedo, Brazil, is tackling head-on, using 3M™ Clinpro™ Clear Fluoride Treatment to deliver preventive oral care to vulnerable patients.
This inspiring partnership with Solventum is helping deliver oral care to patients who can't always sit still. It's about a dedicated clinician, a caring team and a product designed to make preventive fluoride treatments a little easier.
The patients behind the work
LARCAB is a non-profit organization that has served people with disabilities for over 35 years, working with individuals ages 2 to 60. Many of those they care for have multiple disabilities. Many are non-verbal. Some can become agitated, often because they're hurting and can't say so.
Dr. Daniela Moitinho understands this challenge deeply. "It's very difficult to perform treatment in the office, in the dental chair, and even the process of taking them to the office can be hard,” she explains. “Many have problems with change, contact with new people or new sounds."
The hardest part is recognizing pain at all. "For those individuals who are non-verbal, when they feel pain, if they have cavities, it's hard for people to understand what they're feeling," Dr. Moitinho says. It makes prevention especially important for people with special needs.
A partnership built on a shared goal of prevention
Dr. Moitinho works for the municipal government of Sao Paulo, Brazil. About 16 years ago, she moved into oral health education, and last year she built a new partnership with Solventum and LARCAB.
The mission is simple and human: "to offer access to quality in oral health, and access to quality materials for these patients who are so vulnerable and in need of care," Dr. Moitinho says.
Dr. Moitinho's philosophy centers on stopping problems before they start. Her approach is minimally invasive, focused on preventing dental problems from happening in the first place, to avoid difficult procedures.
She works alone serving roughly 16,000 students a year. At the start of each year, she examines children, classifies them by their oral health condition and prioritizes those in the most urgent situations.
When she discovered a fluoride product that could really help these patients, she was moved.
A product that makes hard care easier
Dr. Moitinho knew that using the right product could make a big difference for these patients who often struggle to stay still. Clinpro Clear fluoride treatment was the perfection solution.
The water-based solution is simply wiped onto the teeth with a small applicator brush. Patients can drink or eat again just 15 minutes after the application, significantly less time than traditional fluoride treatments. It even includes a flavorless option.
"When I got to know the product, it was so easy, that's what caught my attention,” she explains. "This product was made for them.”
Carolina Ribeiro Barros, a speech-language pathologist who has worked at LARCAB for over five years, says the partnership lets patients receive care in a familiar, comfortable environment, avoiding stressful travel.
The proof comes in the patients themselves. Carolina shares how a non-verbal child with no prior access to oral healthcare came in for treatment. During the application he needed arm extenders to limit his movement.
And yet, something beautiful happened. "He was able to express himself even though he couldn't speak," Carolina says. He "managed to convey happiness and feeling cared for." Seeing his behavior change, she says, "is incredibly rewarding."
In another case, two patients arrived, and the local health team thought they might not accept treatment. But with patience and warmth, the outcome surprised them. "With all the affection from the team and the flavor choices, they accepted treatment and had a very good experience," Carolina recalls.
More than a treatment
For the people doing this work, the rewards run deep. Carolina describes a sense of fulfillment "beyond my profession," the feeling of working "with and for love." She offers her gratitude to Dr. Moitinho for bringing such a great service to the community, and to Solventum: "a company supporting the inclusion of individuals who often go unnoticed by society."
Dr. Moitinho feels it too. Patients will stop her years later to say, "Thanks to you I learned to brush my teeth, I stopped having cavities, it made all the difference in my life." That, she says, is the heart of it. "Public service like this, it's working with the heart. You have to love what you do."
When partnership, prevention and the right tools come together, care can reach the patients who need it most. By delivering preventive oral health to vulnerable populations, the work in Vinhedo shows what's possible when everyone solves with heart.
Keep exploring
Seeing the difference we can make reminds us to keep listening, keep caring, keep innovating and keep doing what we do best: We never stop solving for you.
