GSDM’s Integration of Oral Health Into Outside Programs
Aim for Healthy Living Health Fair: Roxbury families turned out in force for the Aim for Healthy Living Health Fair sponsored by GSDM in cooperation with Roxbury Community College and the Newton Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. Jack & Jill of America is an African-American organization of mothers who nurture future leaders by strengthening children ages 2-19 through chapter programming, community service, legislative advocacy, and philanthropic giving. The fair targeted families living in and around Roxbury Community College and/or associated with the Newton Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. GSDM volunteers provided dental screenings and oral health information at a booth that proved to be very popular.
BAHEC Youth to Health Careers Summer Enrichment Program Health Career Expo: The purpose of this annual Boston Area Health Education Center (BAHEC) event is to connect Boston adolescents who are interested in exploring health careers with a variety of health professionals representing a broad range of career fields. GSDM’s Dental Public Health Division provided BAHEC students with an understanding of the range of oral health careers, their education and fiscal requirements, and the roles and function of each profession in providing and supporting health care.
Bay Cove Wellness Center Wellness Fair: GSDM student volunteers and CHP faculty promoted oral health to the attendees of the Bay Cove Wellness Fair. The group offered oral health education, dental screenings, and referrals to the adults who utilize the services offered by Bay Cove Human Services. Bay Cove Human Services is a private, not-for-profit corporation that provides a wide variety of services to individuals and their families who face the challenges of developmental disabilities, aging, mental illness, and drug and alcohol addiction.
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) Unity Day at South Street Public Housing Development: BHA Unity Day provides local area health and social service providers with an opportunity to deliver health information and interact with families within the community. The GSDM Tooth Smart Healthy Start (TSHS) team had the opportunity to introduce their dental research study and provide dental health education to residents while engaging their children in fun interactive activities.
Boston University Wellness Fair: CHP led a team of volunteers to the sixth-annual Boston University Wellness Fair held in the George Sherman Union. A new interactive game called Celebrity Smiles was introduced at this year’s fair. A GSDM student designed this game as a way to engage college students by using a poster picturing the smiles of popular celebrities and asking participants to identify a celebrity based on their smile. The idea is to reiterate that a person’s smile is vital to their personality. Taking care of one’s teeth (and hence resulting in a healthy smile) is essential to a person’s identity. A toothbrush was given out to every person who identified at least three celebrities, and a camera was donated as a door prize to “capture the winning student’s smile.”
Chelsea Back to School Celebration: Faculty and staff from CHP’s school-based dental programs participated again this year in the 7th-Annual Chelsea Back to School Celebration. The event was sponsored by Chelsea Community Organizations and was held at the Williams Middle School. The celebration featured groups from the community welcoming students back to school with games, prizes, giveaways, and information on a variety of topics. Approximately 1,000 people were in attendance, including students and their family members. Seven GSDM volunteers discussed general oral health with participants, gave information about the Chelsea School Dental Center, and handed out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and informational materials.
Chelsea Early Learning Center (ELC) Open House: CHP faculty set up an information table at the Early Learning Center’s Open House for parents of children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Educational materials were distributed to 150 parents about the importance of early dental care and the availability of the Chelsea School Dental Center. Children practiced their newly gained toothbrushing skills with the dental puppet using a mirror and a pen light and were given stickers and coloring sheets.
Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls Health Fair: GSDM student volunteers along with CHP faculty and staff provided oral health education at a winter health fair, and oral health screenings and education at a spring health fair, both held at the Vine Street Community Health Center in Roxbury. The health fairs were sponsored by Cherishing Our Hearts and Souls (COHS), a community coalition that promotes the heart and soul of good health. The focus of the fairs was on wellness across the lifespan and included a variety of health screenings, yoga demonstrations, and healthy food tasting and cooking demonstrations.
Countdown to Kindergarten Celebration: Countdown to Kindergarten is a non-profit collaborative that engages families, educators, and community members in a citywide effort to celebrate and support the transition into kindergarten. The celebration is part of a yearlong process that helps parents register their children for kindergarten at BPS, and includes connecting parents with resources that help children thrive in school. Each year CHP along with GSDM student volunteers attend the celebration to offer dental screenings, host tooth brushing and arts and crafts stations, and distribute toothbrushes and oral health information to children and parents. Staffed this year by 26 GSDM students, over 150 dental screenings were provided to children and exceptional enthusiasm and professionalism was shown as students addressed the oral health needs of young children and the concerns of their parents.
Day of Dignity: A team of 15 GSDM students and CHP faculty volunteered their time and expertise at the Day of Dignity 2010. The Day of Dignity was sponsored by Islamic Relief USA, a non-profit organization, and held at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury. The annual event provides homeless and underserved people in the local community with the opportunity to receive free health screenings, lunch, supplies, and hygiene products. GSDM provided general dental and oral cancer screenings and handed out free oral hygiene kits. Volunteers screened approximately 70 homeless and underserved patients at the event.
East Boston Bicycle Safety Day: Faculty and staff from CHP’s school-based dental programs attended the East Boston Bicycle Safety Day at the Salesian Boys and Girls Club. Children received free bicycle helmets and bike safety checks while local organizations distributed information about their services. Information about mouth guards and Smart Smiles in Boston Public Schools was distributed.
Everett School Open House: At the Everett School Open House, CHP informed parents about Smart Smiles in Boston Public Schools, encouraging them to both enroll their children in the program and take them to a local dentist for any recommended follow-up oral health care. Educational handouts and toothbrushes and toothpaste were given out.
Family Health Fair Fun Day, Boston Healthy Start Initiative: Sponsored by the Boston Public Health Commission and located at Harambee Park in Dorchester, this health fair featured free health screenings, educational seminars, fitness activities, healthy food tasting, and many other activities. CHP provided over 75 oral screenings, oral health education including the Celebrity Smiles game, and free dental supplies.
Framingham Healthy Kids Day: Each year CHP participates in this annual MetroWest YMCA-sponsored event held in Framingham, Massachusetts. Over 200 adults and children were in attendance this year, and those visiting the CHP table were offered printed materials on fluoride, sealants, tooth brushing, and healthy eating, and information was given out about the Framingham School Dental Program.
Healthy Athletes® Special Smiles® Initiative: GSDM staff, students, and faculty came together with other dental schools, hygiene schools, and dental practitioners at the Special Olympics Massachusetts games held at Harvard University. At the games GSDM volunteers registered athletes, gave free oral health screenings, made mouth guards, demonstrated proper hygiene, provided nutrition counseling, and gave out goodie bags filled with dental supplies as part of the Healthy Athletes® Special Smiles® Initiative.
Healing the Children, Northeast, Incorporated: Since 1993 faculty and residents of GSDM’s Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery have traveled to South American countries to donate their time and expertise in providing direct care to more than 50 children each year. This work is done in affiliation with Healing the Children, Northeast, Inc., a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to providing donated medical care to children in need.
Healthy Family Day at Primera Iglesia Bautista: GSDM and the Massachusetts Section of the American College of Prosthodontics (ACP), as part of ACP Prosthodontics Awareness Week, joined forces at a Jamaica Plain Health Family Day event sponsored by Dana Farber Center for Community Based Research and UMass Boston. Postdoctoral students from the GSDM Department of Restorative Sciences/Biomaterials partnered with DMD students to provide dental outreach at the fair, held at Primera Iglesia Bautista in Jamaica Plain. Students from the Boston University chapter of the HSDA provided interpretation services. The students screened 35 fair participants and gave out oral health educational materials.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures Open Gym: GSDM students accompanied CHP faculty to the Family Wellness Fair and Saturday Open Gym at Madison Park Community Center in Roxbury. The event was sponsored by The Boston Public Health Commission’s Office of Oral Health and the ADA Foundation in partnership with Child Development and Education, Inc., GSDM, and Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures. It was open to families with children three to eight years of age, with the goal of getting families with children up, out, and moving around together. Oral health promotion activities were targeted to families with young children and included interactive activities and dental screenings.
Inite Pou La Sante/United for Health Fair: For the second year in a row GSDM headed to the Inite Pou La Sante/United for Health Fair to provide outreach to the more than 500 families of Haitian descent who attend the annual fair at the Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church in Mattapan. GSDM volunteers provided dental screenings to more than 50 individuals, and a GSDM student and CHP staff member offered translation services to the French-speaking attendees.
Living SMART, a Community Health Fair: CHP participated in the Living Smart Health Fair sponsored by the Young Professionals Network (YPN) of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. YPN is a supporter or branch of the National Urban League that targets young professionals ages 21-40 with a mission to empower communities and change lives through the urban league movement. In accomplishing these goals the organization focuses on volunteerism, philanthropy, and membership development. The Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of YPN has begun a Public Health Committee and as part of their National Day of Service, the chapter hosted Living SMART, a Community Health Fair. CHP gave free dental screenings and participated in a round-robin discussion on oral health promotion.
Massachusetts Operation Stand Down for Homeless Veterans: This two-day annual event, presented by the VA Boston Healthcare System in cooperation with Volunteers of America Massachusetts, offers homeless and at-risk veterans in Boston critical benefits and services such as food, clothing, medical and dental treatment, housing referrals and placement, and career and job counseling. GSDM provided dental screenings, toothbrushes, toothpaste, denture cleanings, and referrals to the veterans. In total 30 students and several GSDM faculty and staff volunteered their time and efforts to this event, and they were able to screen nearly 175 veterans over the two day period. Many of the student volunteers are attending GSDM through the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS), so this event especially resonated with them.
Mattapan Community Health Center’s Health Care Revival: Information on a variety of health topics and community resources was provided at this year’s annual Mattapan health fair. CHP faculty shared a tent with staff from the Mattapan Community Health Center, engaging families in dental health conversations and age appropriate activities. Topics included tooth brushing, flossing, healthy eating, and cavity prevention, including use of fluoride, mouth guards, and sealants. Free dental screenings were offered to attendees.
MGH Chelsea 14th-Annual Summer Safety Fair: The MGH Chelsea Health Center’s Summer Safety Fair is an annual summer kick-off celebration which focuses on keeping children safe during the summer months. This year as in the past children received free bicycle safety checks and bike helmets. Many agencies participated, providing tips on home, water, fire, sun, and car safety. CHP highlighted information on the use of mouth guards and the importance of dental visits and invited Chelsea children to come to the Chelsea School Dental Center for free oral health services. Approximately 200 people attended this popular and fun summertime event.
Middle O! Orientation: “Middle O!” is an event held each year at Fenway Park designed to prepare sixth-grade students for their entrance into middle school at the Boston Public Schools. The Boston University chapter of SNDA along with CHP faculty provided information on dental careers, mouth guards, sealants, healthy eating, and the risks of smoking and oral piercing. Complimentary mouth guards and toothbrushes and toothpaste were given out, and 50 children received dental screenings. One of SNDA’s goals is to inform young students about oral health and encourage them to not only consider but to prepare for a dental career as they continue through their middle and high school years.
Move It Health Fair: The second annual Move It Health Fair, organized by the Chelsea/Revere Family & Community Network, promoted individual, family and community health through dance, martial arts, fitness, and more. Local organizations had a chance to highlight their educational programs and resources. CHP highlighted the Chelsea School Dental Clinic and provided those who stopped by the table with oral health educational materials, coloring pages, and free toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Peace in the Family Revere: CHP faculty participated in the 10th annual Peace in the Family Day in Revere distributing handouts, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental stickers as they talked with many event participants about oral health. Over 300 people attended this fair to promote peace and health in the families in Revere, Chelsea, and vicinities.
Perkins School Open House: At the Perkins School Open House, CHP passed out informational materials and talked with 80 parents about GSDM’s Smart Smiles in Boston Public Schools. Oral health education included a demonstration of proper tooth brushing and goodie bags with hygiene supplies, pencils, and stickers were given out.
Pioneer Valley Area Health Education Center (AHEC) – REACH Program: The Oral Health Careers summer program is a 4-week Introduction to Oral Health & Careers curriculum prepared and taught by students in GSDM’s Dental Public Health Division to high school students in a pre-health enrichment program. This year two separate programs were implemented for 24 high school students—the introductory level program for new students and an intermediate level for students who participated in last year’s program. Evaluation of the summer program indicated an increase in both oral health knowledge and interest in the dental career field.
Relay for Life: The BU Relay for Life took place at the Track & Tennis Center on the Charles River Campus. For the third year in a row, GSDM put together a team to participate in the overnight event which raises money for the American Cancer Society. Ten members of the GSDM faculty and staff participated along with more than 55 students. The volunteers took turns walking laps around the center and taking part in theme laps. GSDM’s participation in this event expanded greatly from last year. This year there were more than double the participants who together raised over $4,500, more than four times the dollar amount raised last year for the American Cancer Society.
Research Science Institute: Since 1994 GSDM has been a participant in the Research Science Institute, a six-week summer program for high school students. Sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the students experience college-level classes and complete hands-on research guided by selected mentors at corporations, universities, and other organizations.
Rosie’s Place, Childworks Program, Dental Health Fair: CHP and GSDM’s chapter of AAWD set up an interactive dental health fair for children at Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women located in Boston’s South End. At this summer health fair, children were taught about the importance of good dental hygiene and how to properly care for their teeth by use of a dental passport to guide them through each of the fair’s six dental-themed stations; and after the passport was completely stamped, a goodie bag with prizes was awarded. The event allowed the children to practice dressing like dentists in gloves, gowns, face masks, and goggles.
Rosie’s Place Wellness Fair: GSDM has a long-standing program that enables women at Rosie’s Place to receive oral health information and complementary hygiene supplies. GSDM student volunteers joined forces with CHP to distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste and to teach those attending the fair about the importance of oral health, healthy eating, consequences of tobacco, and other oral health topics of interest.
Roxbury Community College Wellness Fair: CHP led a team of volunteers to the Roxbury Community College Wellness Fair. The new interactive game, Celebrity Smiles, was used at this year’s fair. As mentioned previously, the game was designed by a GSDM graduate student as a way to engage college students by using pictures of the smiles of popular celebrities and asking participants to identify a celebrity based on their smile. The game proved to be a big hit and many toothbrushes were given out to the winners who identified at least three celebrities.
Save Change to Make a Change: Students from the ASDA and the Muslim Students Association organized a fundraising drive in September, Save Change to Make a Change, to benefit Pakistani flood victims. All proceeds went to Oxfam International and were used to provide clean water, hygiene supplies, food, and other aid to those affected by the flooding in Northern Pakistan.
School Readiness Events (as part of the Countdown to Kindergarten Boston Initiative): The Boston Children’s Museum, in partnership with BPS, held three year-round School Readiness Events, tying in with their Countdown to Kindergarten initiative. These events took place at the Haynes Early Education Center in Roxbury, the Jubilee Christian Church & Academy in Mattapan, and the Jackson-Mann Community Center in Allston. Countdown to Kindergarten is a year-long process to help parents register their child for kindergarten at BPS, and includes connecting parents with resources that help children thrive in school. CHP and GSDM student volunteers attended these school-readiness events to provide dental screenings to children, host tooth brushing and arts and crafts stations, and distribute toothbrushes and oral health information to children and parents. The mini year-round events offered yet another opportunity to reach out to families and promote oral health as a key aspect for preparing children for kindergarten and success in school.
Smart from the Start – Global Day of Service Activity at Alice Taylor Public Housing Development Area: As part of Global Day of Service, the Read Play Day at the Johnson Community Center proved to be a wonderful opportunity for GSDM volunteers to interact with 25 local area preschoolers. Volunteers were able to play age-appropriate games with preschoolers, interact with them during story time, and lend assistance for their theme-related arts and craft project.
Stork Fund Walkabout Day: This event, held at the Franklin Park Zoo, was sponsored by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and provided an opportunity to talk with those in attendance about Smart Smiles in Boston Public Schools. Oral health and healthy eating tips were discussed with those visiting the CHP table, and toothbrushes and toothpaste were given out.
S.O.U.L.S. Health Fair for Homeless Women: Sponsored by the Community Service and Service Learning Center at Suffolk University, this health fair made available services and resources to homeless women. CHP faculty and dental student volunteers provided dental screenings, oral health education, and oral hygiene materials at this event, positively impacting the lives of the women they encountered.
Summit for Teen Empowerment, Progress, and Parenting Success (S.T.E.P.P.S): This first-time event was a multi-agency-sponsored conference for teen parents featuring speakers who were able to engage and empower teens for success in parenting and life. Vendors offered information and products to assist young people in moving forward with setting and achieving their goals and in raising their children in a healthy and safe environment. CHP contributed oral health educational materials, toothbrushes and paste, and dental stickers.
Toys for Tots: ASDA students continued their tradition of making the holidays more joyful for Boston children in need again this past December as they led the Toys for Tots effort. The GSDM community donated more than two large boxes of toys for local children newborn to age 13 for distribution throughout Boston during the holiday season.
Yankee Dental Congress 36/HIV Dental Work Group: Twenty-six Boston University dental students joined forces with dental students from Harvard and Tufts to staff the HIV Workgroup table sponsored by the Boston Public Health Commission. The HIV Dental Workgroup is part of the Boston Public Health Commission’s AIDS program, the HIV dental program which facilitates access to oral health care for persons with HIV. This was the HIV Workgroup’s 15th year of providing an educational exhibit on HIV oral health issues and infection control at Yankee Dental. GSDM students handed out packets of oral health information, talked with people who stopped by the booth, and assisted in collecting consumables donated each year for use in programs for persons with HIV.
YMCA in Chinatown Holiday Outreach: Members of the Boston University chapter of the Vietnamese Student Dental Association (VSDA), led by the chapter president, volunteered at the Annual Holiday Party at the Wang YMCA in Chinatown in December. Volunteers set up two tables with oral health activities for the children and handed out oral health information and toothbrushes to their parents. In total, nearly 800 people attended the party. The children were very enthusiastic and engaged in learning more about their oral health.
