14 March 2023

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UNC students provide $89,350 of free dental care to local children

By UNC Adams School of Dentistry News

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In February 2023, volunteers at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry provided free oral health care services to nearly 180 children as a part of the school’s 10th annual Give Kids A Smile event.

Student leaders Samantha Glover and Caylen Bost said in a UNC news story that the event was a real testament to the values of the dental program.

“It takes a lot of coordination and people working together to make this happen,” said the students. “We treated nearly 180 kids and met tons of grateful parents and guardians who were so appreciative that we put something like this on.”

With the help of almost 400 total volunteers — including dentists, students, faculty and staff — the pediatric patients received dental exams, X-rays, fluoride treatment, sealants, fillings and extractions.

At the event, children and their families also took part in an interactive health fair with representatives from the UNC-CH School of Medicine, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, UNC-CH Athletics, undergraduate students and Adams School of Dentistry’s American Association of Public Health Dentistry student chapter, social work, Project Search and the Jacox Research Study. 

Through the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program, launched nationally by the American Dental Association in 2003, more than six million underserved children across the country have received free oral health services.

These free services are provided by approximately 10,000 volunteer dentists annually, along with 30,000 other dental team members. The Adams School of Dentistry’s event was sponsored by the Dental Foundation of North Carolina, Delta Dental, North Carolina Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Affordable Care, American Dental Association, Henry Schein, Hu-Friedy and Benco Dental.

Read the original story on the school's news site: https://dentistry.unc.edu/2023/02/students-provide-nearly-89350-of-free-dental-care-to-local-children/