CHICAGO, Illinois--Forty American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry members and affiliated volunteers from across the country helped provide free dental care to 91 homeless children during the inaugural Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children Dental Home Da.
The day was held May 22, 2013, at the Orange Blossom Family Health Center in Orlando, Fla. Dental Home Day patients receive ongoing care supported by HSHC Access to Care Grants. Orange Blossom received a total of $45,000 in grants to help provide dental homes to participating patients for the next 12 months. “We’re grateful to Sunstar (Americas) for their generous support of Dental Home Day,” said Beverly Largent, DMD, a pediatric dentist from Paducah, Ky., and new HSHC president. “We’re also grateful to AAPD members who not only volunteered at Dental Home Day, but also contributed an additional $10,000 to support the kids’ ongoing care. It was an amazing day.” Held in conjunction with the AAPD’s Annual Session, Dental Home Day provides an opportunity for the academy to give back to its host city. Orlando patients received preventive and restorative services, oral health instruction, and home care kits, courtesy of Sunstar. Home care kits also were provided to adults accompanying Dental Home Day patients. During the next 12 months, the Orange Blossom dental team will report quarterly to HSHC the number of children returning for restorative, preventive, and other appointments. They will also track incidences where siblings of Dental Home Day patients seek care at the clinic and track those children who do not return or have sporadic follow-up visits. “We have a growing clinic patient base, and Dental Home Day provided a great opportunity to reach children currently not receiving care,” said Orange Blossom dentist Meghan Keskar, DDS. “It also helped us shine a light on the year-round need we have in our community.” Plans for the 2014 Dental Home Day during the AAPD Annual Session in Boston already are under way. HSHC will be issuing requests for proposal to qualified agencies by summer’s end and dental clinic directors from metropolitan Boston are encouraged to inquire. “Our first Dental Home Day taught us a lot,” said Cavan Brunsden, DDS, Dental Home Day national volunteer coordinator and pediatric dentist from Old Bridge, N.J. “Volunteers were so energized by the experience we’re channeling their enthusiasm into making Boston an even greater success.” For more information, visit www.healthysmileshealthychildren.org. To comment on this topic, go to http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com.
