6/10/22
DETROIT — What happens when you combine a live DJ, glitter tattoos, mascots, Detroit Lions football players and a whole team of volunteer oral health professionals? On Friday, June 10, 300 children from the Brenda Scott Academy, a Detroit Public Schools Community District school, received free dental care thanks to TeamSmile and a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF).
“We know how important it is to have access to resources such as dental care,” said Alycia Meriweather, deputy superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District. “We are appreciative of our partnership with the Delta Dental Foundation and this initiative to make sure our students’ smiles stay bright and healthy."
TeamSmile connects volunteer oral health professionals with professional sports teams to provide life-changing dental care to children in communities across the country. At each event, TeamSmile and community volunteers transform school gymnasiums and sports arenas into fun dental clinics, connecting children to free dental care and oral health education.
“Using the power of sports is a great way to promote good oral health and make oral hygiene habits more exciting,” said Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF. “It’s also an opportunity to connect hundreds of children to a dental home—and a healthier smile.”
A dental home is a place where you develop an ongoing relationship with a dentist. The dental home helps create good oral health habits for you and your family, resolve any dental issues you may have and give you a place to go in case of a dental emergency.
During the event, each child received a dental “report card” that detailed the dental work that was performed as well as recommendations for future (or additional) care. They were also provided with information about www.SmileHelpNow.com, a free web-based tool designed to help residents in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana find affordable dental care.
For more information about TeamSmile and the opportunities for dental care that they create, visit www.TeamSmile.org.
