Elisabeth McKinney, a 4-year-old Bakersville resident, gets prepared for a dental X-ray on Friday, Feb. 5 during the annual Give Kids a Smile event at the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Center in Spruce Pine. (MNJ photo/Cory Spiers)
Nearly two dozen local children had free dental work performed Friday, Feb. 5, at the East Carolina University Dental Community Service Learning Center in Spruce Pine.
The learning center’s services were part of their involvement in the nationwide “Give Kids a Smile” initiative – a 17-year-old partnership between the American Dental Association and dental vendors that gives children complementary comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, treatment plans and X-rays.
The Service Learning Center Business Services Coordinator Gene Self said children who are not covered by dental insurance or have never visited a dentist were the target audience. Still, all children in need of services were welcome.
“Our goal is that no child in our community is without care for their teeth,” Self said.
This year marked the third straight year the center has had the event in its office on the Blue Ridge Regional Hospital campus rather than bringing the services into local schools. Self said having the event in the office allows hygienists and dental assistants to perform a broader range of services and more tools.
Of the eight ECU Community Service Learning Centers in the state, the Spruce Pine center sees the most pediatric patients.
Lacey Cannon, a dental hygienist at the community learning center, said there is a unique opportunity to serve the area on Give Kids a Smile day.
“It was such a great privilege to treat these sweet kids in our community,” Cannon said.
This year’s event featured a toothy fairy costume theme, which the staff says helps patients be less nervous during their dental procedures.
Resident Doctor Natalie Kirkman said serving the children in the community is one of the center’s more meaningful contributions.
“I am grateful to be able to provide dental care to kids in the community, many of whom this was their first time visiting a dentist,” Kirkman said. “It was a fun and exciting day.”
The local clinical staff is ECU dental students who are completing their dental training while experiencing the role of dentists in a rural community. Each year, some graduated students from the Learning Center return to help with the event.
The vision of the local ECU dental program and its Community Service Learning Centers is to train dentists who will return to rural communities in the state to practice after graduation.
Self said the day went smoothly and added the center looks forward to continuing its participation in the event next year.
One of the patients bought lunch for the staff at the learning center. Sylvia Buchanan was on hand in the center to sign kids up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program between appointments and Rachel Weir of Head Start assisted with Spanish translation.
“GKAS is one of our favorite days of the year,” Self said. “We get to give back to our community by serving local children and providing them with free dental care. One of our main goals at ECU School of Dental Medicine is to instill a sense of service and community in our staff, faculty, residents and students.
“We enjoyed meeting all the children, and the smiles on their faces put a smile on ours. We are blessed to serve the communities in our area.”