Bulletin of Dental Education Article

In March, a group of 115 children from central Indiana were met by strangers with unfamiliar and intimidating dental tools as they cautiously made their way through the Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD). Thanks to 153 IUSD student, faculty and staff volunteers, those same children left the school equipped with healthier habits and confident smiles.

These participants attended the Give Kids A Smile^® (GKAS) event, a free dental walk-in clinic hosted annually by the IUSD Kids Club, pediatric dentistry department and dental hygiene and dental assisting programs. Part of a nationwide American Dental Association (ADA) initiative originally staged by IUSD alumnus Jeffrey Dalin, D.D.S., GKAS increases access to preventive oral health care and resources, helping families that may otherwise face financial or other barriers to their children’s oral health care.

Anxiety melted away as participants colored, made bracelets, had their faces painted and played games in the “fun zone” with volunteers. Pac-Man and Galaga arcade machines added excitement and a touch of nostalgia for parents and guardians. When it was time, children moved on to dental screenings, radiographs, cleanings, sealants and fluoride varnish applications as needed.

After treatment, each child received a take-home dental care packet, courtesy of ADA, and a prize token for the toy tower, provided by Indiana Incentives. More than 75 participants had IUSD patient charts created, helping connect families to ongoing dental services beyond the one-day clinic.

Aline Castilho, Ph.D., D.D.S., M.S., IUSD Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry and event champion, believes this year’s event was highly successful, noting families benefited from over $26,000 in estimated services rendered. Overall, 42% more children were treated than at last year’s GKAS event, resulting in a 39% increased value of services delivered versus the previous year.

“Many parents expressed appreciation for the opportunity to receive care and guidance on their children’s oral health, highlighting how important programs like this are for families who may face barriers to accessing dental services,” said Dr. Castilho.

This was Dr. Castilho’s first year attending and helping lead the GKAS event, which was also co-led by Armando Soto Rojas, D.D.S, M.S., recently retired IUSD Associate Professor of Dental Public Health and Dental Informatics.

Dr. Castilho credited ADA, Wonderful Dental and Indiana Incentives for helping make the event possible. Beyond the care provided, she was struck by the leadership and organizational skills of the IUSD Kids Club leaders, including D.D.S. students Danielle Nosek, Graham Haines, Macy Covey and Milan Lynn.

Ms. Nosek, who serves as the IUSD Kids Club Co-president, attributes some of the event’s success to outreach conducted by club members at local schools, community centers and churches as well as through local health care professionals.

“This event is important to me because it allows us to provide care for children who might otherwise be unable to receive dental treatment,” said Ms. Nosek. “Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in childhood, and programs like this help improve not only children’s oral health but also their overall health and well-being. It is very meaningful to help provide these children with the care and treatment they deserve.”

Kids Club Co-president Graham Haines helped with event outreach and is now more aware of the importance of communication and follow-up to patient outcomes, especially when it comes to kids and families.

“I hope families leave feeling more comfortable with dentistry and more confident about getting their kids regular care moving forward,” said Mr. Haines. “One thing that has been especially important to me is helping transition many of these patients into a dental home here at the school, so the event becomes more than just one visit. If we can help a child get connected to continued care, that has a much bigger long-term impact.”

Dr. Castilho expressed gratitude to all volunteers and community partners, adding that the presence of Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, D.D.S., Ph.D., IUSD Dean, demonstrated strong support for students and community outreach. She also thanked Dr. Soto Rojas for his help in guiding her through the event, and Frank Lippert, Ph.D., M.Sc., IUSD Professor and Director of Laboratory Research Core, for providing water and snacks for volunteers.

“Together, everyone’s professionalism, teamwork and commitment led to an incredible outcome that surpassed our expectations and initial goals,” said Dr. Castilho. “It was amazing to see students, residents, staff and faculty all working together with the shared goal of promoting oral health for children. Moments like this remind me how powerful teamwork can be.”

Courtesy of Indiana University School of Dentistry