For Dr Londiwe Sibisi-Maboye, giving children healthy smiles is more than just a career; it’s about making oral health accessible, inclusive, and empowering. Her excellence in paediatric dentistry has now made history, bringing home a major global honour!
Johannesburg, South Africa (14 November 2025) – In recognition of her excellence in paediatric dentistry, Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital’s (NMCH) Dr Londiwe Sibisi-Maboye has become the first African to win the Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Award!
Sponsored by Colgate and presented at the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) Congress in Cape Town last month, the award honours trailblazers advancing innovative, preventive oral health programmes for children.
Dr Sibisi-Maboye, who also leads the non-profit Kids Dental Home Foundation at NMCH, was honoured for her groundbreaking initiative, Saving Smiles in Africa. The programme has successfully delivered 41 free dental surgeries, over 3,000 screenings, and 4,000 preventive oral health education sessions to underserved children across South Africa and beyond.
What began as a response to children waiting months for essential dental services has evolved into a continent-wide movement of hope and prevention.
“This award is not about me. It’s about the children whose smiles remind us why we serve,” Dr Londiwe Sibisi-Maboye commented on the accomplishment.
Dr Sibisi-Maboye’s compassion and service-driven leadership continue to inspire both her colleagues and the next generation of dental professionals.
She also serves as a part-time lecturer at Sefako Makgatho University and the University of Pretoria in the Department of Operative Dentistry at SMU and the Department of Odontology at the University of Pretoria, where she mentors dental students.
Celebrating her historic achievement and inspiring commitment to taking oral health where it is needed most, NMCH congratulated:
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Sources: Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital | Sefako Makgatho University
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