IU Dental School Will Use Delta Dental Foundation Grant to Complete Treatment for “Give Kids a Smile” Participants
The Indiana University School of Dentistry will use a $5,000 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation to provide additional treatment to some of the children who participated in Give Kids a Smile day at the dental school on February 1.
Give Kids a Smile is an annual American Dental Association program in which thousands of volunteers from dental offices, clinics, and schools nationwide spend the first Friday of February donating dental services to children from low-income, uninsured families. The event strives to treat children in greatest need, raise awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health, underscore the role preventive measures such as brushing teeth and seeing a dentist for check-ups play in maintaining a healthy mouth, and direct attention to the epidemic of untreated dental disease occurring in this country. The program is sponsored statewide by the Indiana Dental Association.
The IU dental school is one of the largest Give Kids a Smile treatment sites in the Hoosier state, drawing volunteers from the school's students, staff, and faculty as well as practitioners from private dental offices. This year, more than 100 youngsters were examined and treated, including a large group of Karenni children whose families have been living in Indianapolis as refugees from Myanmar (Burma).
"These refugees don't have a dental home, and we're trying to help them establish one," Dr. Judith Chin, IU associate professor of pediatric dentistry, told American Dental Association representative Stacie Crozier, who traveled to Indianapolis from ADA Headquarters in Chicago to get a first-hand look at Indiana's successful Give Kids a Smile program. "We're just trying to make their lives a little easier," Chin added. Her interview with Crozier was published in the ADA News.
Children participating at the IU dental school treatment site received a full range of dental services, as needed, including restorative care and protective dental sealants.
The grant from the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF), the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, will make it possible for the dental school to continue caring for the children whose treatment needs were too extensive to be completed during the event.
"Thanks to the Delta Dental Foundation's generous donation, IUSD can provide extensive comprehensive dental treatment to children who would otherwise never get care," said Chin. "We are very grateful to Delta Dental for its support of this important program and its dedication to providing dental health care to children who need it the most."
"Delta Dental believes that all children should begin receiving proper dental care at an early age, so we're proud to contribute to the Give Kids a Smile day children's fund," said Nancy E. Hostetler, senior vice president of the DDF. "Given the strong connection between oral health and overall health, our investment in this program will enhance the general health and well-being of children living in the Indianapolis area."
The IU dental school's Pediatric Dentistry Clinic is open year-round and provides a wide range of oral health care services to thousands of children in central Indiana each year. The cost of care is generally less than fees associated with private practice, and Medicaid is accepted. The clinic welcomes children of IUPUI students and employees. To arrange an appointment for children 14 years and younger, call (317) 274-8111.
|
