Miss World Nicaragua, Belén Cáceres, has dedicated her Beauty With a Purpose project, One Smile at a Time, to improving access to oral healthcare in underserved communities across Nicaragua. Drawing on her professional background in dentistry, Cáceres has conducted educational talks in rural areas focused on oral hygiene, proper brushing techniques, and preventive dental care. She has also provided treatments including dental cleanings, fluoride applications, and pit and fissure sealants to help prevent oral disease.

Beyond prevention, the project has worked to restore smiles and improve quality of life for individuals who have lost teeth by providing complete and partial dentures, as well as a range of dental treatments for patients with limited financial resources. Cáceres founded her own clinic with the vision of offering healthcare and hope, using it as the foundation for One Smile at a Time. Through the initiative, Miss World Nicaragua has helped provide oral rehabilitation to vulnerable individuals who otherwise would not have access to such care.

The project also extends to volunteer missions alongside cranio-maxillofacial surgery teams, supporting children born with congenital facial conditions and other disorders that affect their ability to smile, eat, speak, and live comfortably. According to Cáceres, witnessing the impact of these interventions reinforced her belief in the power of medicine and compassion to transform lives.

As the initiative has expanded, One Smile at a Time has evolved into a broader vision aimed at creating a nationwide network of support that combines dental care, oral health education, prosthetic rehabilitation, and community outreach. The project has worked with local schools, including Escuelita de Palcila and Escuelita de El Carrizo, while also collaborating directly with community members to improve access to preventive and restorative dental services.

Although the initiative has largely operated without media attention, focusing instead on direct service in rural communities, its impact has been significant. Through education, preventive care, dental treatment, prosthetic rehabilitation, and support for children with facial conditions, One Smile at a Time has helped restore smiles, improve self-esteem and confidence, and expand access to essential oral healthcare for some of Nicaragua’s most vulnerable populations.