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Give Kids A Smile Day 2011
The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston (UTDB) and the Greater Houston Dental Society (GHDS) and the Greater Houston Dental Alliance (GHDA) co-sponsored the annual event, “Give Kids A Smile Day,” on February 13, 2010 at the UTDB campus to provide more than $125,000 worth of free dental care to approximately 250 uninsured children.
GHDS and UTDB planned for the event several months in advance beginning in the fall 2009, and the GHDS Dental Health Committee met regularly with UTDB faculty to prepare and oversee logistics. The event was scheduled during Valentine’s Day Weekend and the theme was noted throughout the event, with red-and-white T-shirts for volunteers and Valentine goody bags for the kids filled with supplies to keep their smiles healthy. Our aim is to show our young neighbors lacking access to dental care that our dental community truly wishes to serve them and care for their most important oral health needs.
The GHDS worked with multiple community groups, including San Jose Clinic, Communities in Schools-Houston, Second Mile Mission, Epiphany Community Health Outreach Services (ECHOS) and Friends for Christmas, to identify patients ahead.
Altogether, the care provided free at Give Kids a Smile Day included over 1,700 procedures valued at $129,022 and 251 limited oral exams, 86 amalgam and 135 composite restorations, 16 stainless steel crowns, 105 extractions, 527 sealants and 187 fluoride varnishes, 11 pulpotomies, 187 prophys.
The GHDS, UTDB, and Houston Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recruited volunteer workers several months in advance, drawing from the ranks of pediatric and general dentists, dental faculty, pediatric residents, dental students, dental hygienists, dental hygiene students, chairside assistants, administrative personnel and GHDS and Dental Branch staff members. Students from the University of Houston pre-dental group and members of a local Boy Scout troop assisted as well. Approximately 335 volunteers and dentists contributed nearly 3,000 volunteer hours to make Give Kids a Smile Day a success.
Co-chairs for the event were Dr. Albert Fasti and Dr. Laji James of the Greater Houston Dental Society and Ms. Heide Heath of the Greater Houston Dental Alliance. Dr. Peggy O’Neill, associate dean for patient care, led the planning at the Dental Branch and Ms. Jennifer Smith was the GHDS organizer.
Our sincere appreciation goes to The Susman Family Foundation who provided generous financial support for Give Kids A Smile Day. UTDB, the GHDS, and the Greater Houston Dental Alliance also secured additional event funding. A very warm thank you to our community partners who assisted with making this event possible: the Greater Houston Dental Assistants Association, Greater Houston Dental Hygiene Society, the American Student Dental Association’s University of Houston Predental Group, American Dental Association, San Jose Clinic, Second Mile Mission, ECHOS, HISD, Communities in Schools, Houston Community College, Operation Stop Decay, Texas Medical Center.