About 250 college students on Charlotte’s west facet bought free dental care on Friday at a pop-up clinic at Druid Hills Academy, courtesy of a coalition of native and nationwide organizations.
Lots of the kids got here from deprived backgrounds.
“We consider everyone ought to have entry to care, regardless of the place they’re from, what their background, any of that,” Shamik Vakil, an area pediatric dentist, instructed QCity Metro through the occasion.
Why it issues: Youngsters aged 5 to 19 from low-income households are twice as probably (25%) to have cavities as are kids from higher-income households (11%), in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Teams internet hosting the occasion included Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest producer of dental merchandise; TeamSmile, a nationwide nonprofit devoted to offering entry to dental care; the Carolina Panthers and the Rho Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Whereas a majority of the scholars attended Druid Hills, about 50 got here from West Charlotte Excessive.
In an interview with QCity Metro, John McCarthy, govt director of TeamSmile, mentioned the occasion would supply $75,000 to $100,000 in dental companies, together with cleanings, fluoride varnish and extractions. And to offer the scholars with a enjoyable ambiance, the clinic featured music and visits from native athletes.
“We take the concern out of dentistry by partnering with sports activities, gamers, cheerleaders, mascots, a DJ, face painters. We need to make it cool. We need to make it enjoyable so kids aren’t scared to go to the dentist,” McCarthy mentioned.
McCarthy mentioned the nonprofit usually selects colleges with excessive concentrations of scholars who get free and reduced-price lunches. He mentioned TeamSmile served fewer than 100 college students final yr and hopes to maintain this yr’s rising momentum.
Tangela Williams, who chairs a neighborhood companies committee underneath the Rosa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, mentioned the sorority participated within the occasion for the primary time this yr. She mentioned the chapter selected to deal with offering dental well being to kids in Charlotte’s “corridors of alternative” — six areas recognized by the town for enhanced spending to advertise larger financial mobility.
“When youngsters have good oral well being, they’ve higher general well being, which helps them keep at school,” Williams mentioned.
Easing fears, one scholar at a time
For Gabriela Portillo, 13, accessing dental care has been troublesome since her household moved final yr to Charlotte from Tennessee. Portillo, a Druid Hills seventh grader, mentioned she was initially nervous about her dental examination.
However she grew to become “excited” after seeing the cheerleaders and athletes. Portillo mentioned she bought a free dental screening and X-ray.
