Working together is the key to Kentucky GKAS success

Louisville, Ky.鈥擧ere in Louisville and its surrounding counties, Give Kids A Smile Day is embraced by the entire community.

On Feb. 1, more than 300 kids will receive $120,000 in free dental care as volunteers and community supporters celebrate their 6th annual Give Kids A Smile Day鈥攁lso known as Smile Kentucky to the locals.

“Since the program’s inception in 2002, it has grown tremendously in terms of community outreach and impact,” said Kelley Dearing-Smith, director of education for the Louisville Water Co., a founding partner of Smile Kentucky.

“Each year, Smile Kentucky volunteers visit 30 schools in Louisville Metro and the surrounding counties in October and November to provide dental screenings to children in grades 3-6 and to conduct education programs for every child at each school,” she said. “We treat children without dental insurance or government health care coverage.”

This year, about 4,000 children received dental screenings and education. Organizers estimate that a third of the children screened have obvious decay. But in the past 6 years, the program has helped adjacent Bullitt County reduce its number of “urgent” dental cases two years in a row since its children have participated in the program, said Ms. Dearing-Smith.

More than 100 dentists, hygienists and dental school faculty, staff and students sign on to help with the screenings and treatment. There are also more than 200 volunteers who help with the details鈥攖ransportation, educational activities, X-rays, paperwork and more.

“There are many dentists that make our program successful,” said Dr. Mark Schulte, a Louisville dentist and member of the program’s steering committee. “Every year we have a great core of volunteer dentists that believe in giving back and enjoy this program so much that the day at the school is a great experience for the dental offices to get together and share in a great program.

“But the success of the program lives and dies with the auxiliary volunteers鈥攖he assistants, hygienists, the students, as well as all the front office helpers and school staff鈥攖he people who really do the bulk of the work.”

Senior dental hygiene students from the university of Louisville School of Dentistry volunteer to visit schools on one of their clinic days during the fall screening period, providing education to kids at participating schools, said Jill Butters, professor in the department of periodontics, endodontics and dental hygiene.

“They love it鈥攖hey really enjoy it,” says Ms. Butters. “They come back raving about it. It’s really sort of the first time they go out and use their new knowledge and skills to help others. This year, junior students will also participate on Feb. 1 as volunteers, too.”

In addition to dedicated dental volunteers, Smile Kentucky boasts an impressive list of nearly 20 partners, including local health departments, school systems, businesses, charities and even the local bus company.

The Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain donates food for the hundreds volunteers who work on GKAS day. Texas Roadhouse also uses Smile Kentucky placemats鈥攃omplete with a coloring contest and dental health education information鈥攄uring the month of February and distributes extra placemats to schools. And, new this year, one Louisville restaurant will host the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures dental van, which will provide free dental screenings Feb. 11.

“We don’t do national advertising,” said Travis Doster, Texas Roadhouse spokesperson. “We want our stores to put that money back into their local communities. It’s important to give back and this project gives us the opportunity to make a difference in many children’s lives.”

Texas Roadhouse’s foundation, he added, recently donated $50,000 to the U of L dental school to help them purchase dental equipment for their clinics to treat the city’s underserved.

“We didn’t realize the need鈥攊t was a real eye-opener for us when we saw how lack of dental care is affecting citizens in the community and we wanted to help,” said Mr. Doster.

“Participating helps Smile Kentucky, it helps our guests and it raises awareness about the needs of our community.”