The D3 Group (D3G) is often asked whether anything can be done to  prevent chalky teeth, perhaps through better healthcare for baby or mother. The scientific answer is  yes, we do know some things that help. But more research is required before concrete answers can be given regards curing the biggest problem of all – so-called "chalky molars".

About 1-in-5 children worldwide have chalky molars, and a quarter of them have chalky front teeth too. Many of these kids are at 10-fold higher risk for an unusually rapid type of tooth decay. So-called "chalky tooth decay" causes many troubles (e.g. toothache, bullying over appearance, repeated dental fillings, extractions under general anaesthetic, need for orthodontics, and missed schooling) and poses a massive cost for affected families, taxpayers and society.

Such huge socioeconomic disruption around the world is clearly disappointing, particularly if it could be avoided through prevention. Fortunately, our scientific understanding indicates chalky teeth problems may be "nipped in the bud" – not just with early dental detection – but ideally by using a (yet to be discovered) medical approach to stop chalky molars happening in the first place.

Better still, the benefits of preventing chalky molars medically may extend beyond the dental arena and into other areas of childhood development that remain mysterious today (see the "medical canary" section below).

To pursue the revolutionary idea of a medical cure for "chalky tooth decay" – and perhaps discovering other paediatric gems – D3G is now designing a world-first social venture from the ground up. In essence, this breakthrough will marry socially-inclined business/investor partners with our pioneering "chalky teeth network" to produce a new global health enterprise.

The overall upshot is that prevention of chalky teeth will trigger medical and dental health benefits for children and societies worldwide, as briefly follows.

'The Healthier-Stronger-Happier Project' ("HSH")

The 'Healthier–Stronger–Happier Project' (HSH) primarily seeks to:
(a) Research the medical causes of chalky molars and related D3s;
(b) Educate about maternal and child health matters known to influence the development and early detection of chalky teeth;
(c) Advocate for allied resourcing, awareness raising, and policy change

Consequently, this new global health initiative beckons massive wins in two domains of maternal and child health – medical and dental.

1. A huge dental win – Clearly, our HSH venture offers worldwide social impact by converting medical interventions ("healthier babies") into fewer chalky teeth ("stronger teeth"), thereby alleviating a severe type of childhood tooth decay that's mostly unpreventable today.

In broader context, dental caries is the most widespread noncommunicable disease, affecting over 2.3 billion people worldwide. Its quality-of-life burdens (e.g. pain, eating & sleeping difficulties, chronic systemic infection) and societal impacts (e.g. missed school & work) remain inadequately addressed despite universal recognition. Consequently, a dental win with chalky teeth alone will be a wonderful outcome for humanity ("happier societies", "better world").

Rest assured there's no burning reason for parental concern here – clearly, most kids with chalky molars grow up having no other obvious abnormalities. But we think the medical possibility of wider damage – both unseen and unknown (asymptomatic / subclinical) as in the metaphorical "tip of the iceberg" – provides a strong rationale for broader medical research with paediatric safety in mind.

'HSH Research'

'HSH Education'

Note: the above two pictures are from "Sam's Storybook" (see here).