Below freezing weather didn’t prevent the many children and their parents from crowding School of Dentistry waiting rooms and clinics to receive free dental care on Saturday, February 3rd. The student-coordinated Give Kids a Smile Day event attracted more than 245 student volunteers and about 30 faculty and staff. First and second year dental students helped in registration, served as patient escorts throughout all stops in the treatment process, and assisted third and fourth year dental students and pediatric dentistry residents who treated patients. An endodontics resident provided consults. In addition to treatment, the young patients received oral health education instruction. Parents and guardians were advised about services provided, received recommendations for follow-up on untreated needs and were provided with information about how to contact the school for continuous care.
Give Kids a Smile is the annual, national event created to provide free dental care to low-income children and highlight dental access challenges of uninsured and underinsured patients. MDA representatives Richard Wiberg (president) and Jaime Sledd (president-elect) stopped by to congratulate all participants on a most successful day.
Dental student co-coordinators Nicole Amundson and Alison Just, and dental hygiene co-coordinators Sarah Sting and Erin Sikkink planned this year’s event with the help of numerous volunteers who also helped coordinate logistics and staffed the event. It was a great day!
Hibbing Community College Dental Clinic Give Kids a Smile Day will be held on February 23rd.
More pictures of the event