UNLV School of Dental Medicine: Give Kids A Smile Event
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For many uninsured families in Nevada, the costs of receiving dental treatments makes finding a dental “home” difficult, which, in turn, impedes the delivery of routine dental care. In an effort to address this health care challenge, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine (UNLV SDM) offers several community outreach initiatives and community outreach clinics designed to make available the oral health instruction, preventative treatments and necessary care for those most in need. One of the school’s outreach clinics is the annual Give Kids A Smile event.
During Give Kids A Smile, hosted by UNLV SDM on Feb. 25, more than 200 dental students and residents, hygienists, faculty dentists and staff members volunteered their skills and expertise to help uninsured children regain good oral health. Collectively, they provided 226 preventive and
restorative treatments free of charge to more than 100 children ages four to 18 years old. According to the American Dental Association’s national average for general practice fees, the value of delivered care exceeded $51,000.
“As the Give Kids A Smile Coordinator since 2011, I have seen the event grow each year,” said Christina Demopoulos, D.D.S., M.P.H. “Since 2006, we have offered more than $1.1 million in donated services to approximately 2,400 children in southern Nevada. Many of the families that register for this
clinic do not have dental insurance or an established dental home. At times, they have to make the difficult choice of either putting food on the table or paying for extensive dental treatments. Through Give Kids A Smile, we create a no-cost treatment option to help relieve that anxiety and enhance the overall
health of their children.”
Credit: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine.
Community partners Liberty Dental Plan, Henry Schein Dental, the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Dental Hygiene Program, and the state of Nevada’s Division of Welfare and Supportive Services also attended and provided a variety of resources.
CSN’s dental hygiene students offered oral health education and oral hygiene instruction to parents; Liberty Dental Plan staff members reinforced the oral hygiene instruction with parents and their children; and the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services completed Medicaid eligibility
verification and identified available social support services.
Each of the participating children received an oral hygiene bag, an electric toothbrush donated by Procter & Gamble, and a follow-up appointment at the dental school.
“I found Give Kids A Smile to be an incredible experience that was not only fulfilling, but also eye opening,” said Brittany Hartog, a first-year hygiene student. “I felt like I made a genuine difference in the way a lot of those parents viewed the oral hygiene habits of their children and themselves. The experience I had makes me look forward to future community outreach programs that I plan to attend before and after I graduate.”
“I had an amazing and fulfilling experience volunteering during Give Kids A Smile,” said Serena Phen, a first-year dental student. “I got the opportunity to observe and learn about the different procedures these children may not have been able to receive. I loved how I got to work with the children since, as part of the UNLV curriculum, we teach oral health to elementary students every Thursday. Overall, I enjoyed spending my Saturday morning with my peers and faculty, giving back to the community and helping our future generation maintain good oral health.”
Courtesy of University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine
Published on April 12, 2023