GKAS sounds alarm for needy children
New York鈥擱epresentatives from every corner of dentistry spoke out on the importance of one of the ADA’s top initiatives, Give Kids A Smile, during a breakfast sponsored by Henry Schein Dental Feb. 5 at Nasdaq Market Site in Times Square.
Association President Ron Tankersley described it as “sounding an alarm for needy children.”
Stanley Bergman, chairman and chief executive officer of Henry Schein Inc., said GKAS was an “incredible synergy” and responsible for bringing the entire profession “together under one team.”
Former U.S. Secretary of Health Louis Sullivan, M.D., a member of the Henry Schein Inc. board, praised the program, saying GKAS was a “tremendous example of a public-private partnership for good.”
The three were part of a group of dignitaries invited to ring the Nasdaq’s opening bell. From 9鈥?0 a.m. on Feb. 5, the Times Square Nasdaq sign broadcast the GKAS message: “Dedicated to the elimination of cavities in U.S. 5-year-olds by 2020.”
“We hope there comes a day when we won’t need a day,” Dr. Tankersley said, later adding that GKAS “highlights to policymakers the challenges that low-income families have in getting access to care.”
Sheila Hopkins, vice president and general manager, Colgate-Palmolive Co., Oral Care, said, “GKAS is not a cure-all, it’s an alarm, a wake-up call.”
As part of the initiative to increase awareness of Give Kids A Smile, Henry Schein Dental also sponsored a breakfast at Nasdaq and bus tour that visited the area鈥檚 three dental schools: Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York University College of Dentistry and State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Steven Chussid, director of pediatric dentistry at Columbia, said GKAS is “a wonderful way to make people aware.”
“A lot of people don’t know what a serious problem this is.” At Stony Brook on Long Island, more than 200 children received free dental screenings, prophies and fluoride treatments from third- and second-year dental students, dental faculty, hygienists, pediatric residents, dental assistant students and staff. Three hundred children also received sealants.
“This is one of the great days of the year,” said Stony Brook Dean Ray Williams. “We take it seriously and the students get so excited.”
Added Dr. Rhona Sherwin, clinical associate professor of orthodontics and pediatrics, “As soon the students’ chairs are empty, they’re ready to go again.”
“It’s exhausting but worth it.”
For the first time, Stony Brook’s Southhampton campus also participated in the event, treating an additional 34 children.
Hygiene students from nearby Farmingdale State College and volunteers from the Suffolk County Dental Society and Stephen B. Gold Dental Clinic at St. Charles Hospital also participated. The Suffolk County Dental Society assisted at all four sites and also initiated the Save-A-Smile Program for those children seen on Feb. 5 who do not meet the criteria for Medicaid or Child/Family Health Plus.
In all, more than 400 area children received free care on the national GKAS day.
Like many dental schools, Stony Brook treats children at its clinic, which includes pediatrics and oral surgery units, year-round.
Said Carol Sloane, RDH, and director of clinic operations for the school’s clinic, “We have a great relationship with the Long Island Head Start programs. They鈥檝e received us well as we’ve gone in and trained them.”
Stony Brook began working with Head Start staff five years ago when the program began requiring dental exams prior to enrollment. Since then, the work has “started to pay off,” said Margaret Bakos, director of community service. “Now we see fewer and fewer children who need exams because the children have found a dental home.”
Parents who attended the event received a summary detailing the services their child received and were also given a referring list of dentists, information on how to obtain insurance and encouragement to find a dental home.
Louisa Wu said she learned about her local GKAS event in a letter sent home from her children’s school. She jumped at the chance to have her 3-, 4- and 6-year-olds seen. “The people here are very nice and my children really like it,” she said.
GKAS corporate sponsor Colgate-Palmolive Co. supplied 300,000 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste; DEXIS Digital X-ray donated the use of DEXIS Digital X-ray systems and support staff to U.S. dental schools requesting its help; and Henry Schein Dental provided professional dental kits containing gloves, masks, patient bibs, dental floss, prophy paste and fluoride products for GKAS events.