Something to Smile About
2/12/2007

This year's event in Pasadena focuses on children under five yearsof age.
By Veronica Jauriqui

One-third of children under eight in California suffer from untreated tooth decay. The statistics are staggering, but an event co-sponsored by USC School of Dentistry, Young & Healthy and the Pasadena Public Health Department WIC Program, is hoping to take a bite out of those numbers.

More than 60 children, along with a few of their parents and caregivers, received free oral examinations on February 7 as part of the annual “Give Kids A Smile Day” initiative. The event was part of the American Dental Association’s nationwide campaign featuring daylong events that provide dental health services to children from underserved communities who do not have adequate access to oral health care.

This year’s event, explains Christen Gibson, director of USCSD’s “Give Kids A Smile Day” program and a member of the school’s office of community health programs, was aimed at an often untargeted audience: families of children under five.

“Children under five are a difficult group to target for such an event because they’re not yet in school, where some partnerships exist to provide them with access to oral health screenings,” she says. “That’s why we thought it was so important. These are children from families who have the most difficulty finding quality oral health care.”

In addition to examinations, 17 USC dental students and pediatric residents—supervised and assisted by USCSD faculty and staff—provided oral hygiene instruction to both children and their caregivers. Children practiced brushing on giant grinning plush toys while their parents were educated on flossing techniques and the role of good nutrition in building strong, healthy teeth.

Children in need of immediate dental treatment were referred to the case management system at Young & Healthy, a Pasadena-based nonprofit that connects local children with medical, dental and mental health care services. For children referred to USCSD’s pediatric clinic, all treatment will be provided free of charge, thanks to a generous $3,000 gift from the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. The Foundation also provided a free book for each child in attendance. In addition, all children received Colgate oral care packets, educational materials and their own plush “tooth” toy. Screening supplies were provided by Sullivan-Schein Dental, which also sponsors the national event.

“We had one child who hasn’t even gotten his first teeth yet getting his first oral examination today,” says Jennifer Holtzman, a USCSD professor in the division of health promotion, disease prevention and epidemiology. “If we can stop tooth decay in that one child and teach his family good oral hygiene for a lifetime of good oral health, then we’ve done a great thing today.”

The ADA estimates that 37,000 dental volunteers including more than 14,000 dentists will provide free services to more than 750,000 children at this year’s events. Since the campaign’s inception in 2003, USC School of Dentistry’s Give Kids A Smile Day events have served close to 4,000 local children.

Related Links:

Pasadena Young & Healthy
http://www.youngandhealthy-pas.org/

ADA Give Kids A Smile Day
http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/gkas/index.asp

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