TeamSmile holds clinic during ShopRite LPGA Classic for free dental care

GALLOWAY — A dentist appointment and party have never received mention in the same sentence. Ever.

Well, not until last week when an initiative named TeamSmile sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive set up shop at Seaview Hotel during the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Dance dentistry and music for molar maintenance filled a makeshift dentist office as ShopRite collaborated with Colgate-Palmolive through its Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures and TeamSmile to bring dental care and oral health education to underserved children.

A one-day clinic at the tournament provided 140 children with free oral exams, on-site treatment and the opportunity to meet LPGA players. Gray clouds above Seaview proved no match for smiles inside a Seaview Hotel ballroom as 140 local youth received dental care.

“TeamSmile partners with professional sports organizations all over America. We run dental tailgate parties with a goal to make dentistry fun, make it cool, John McCarthy, executive director of Team Smile explained.

“The idea is to take the fear out of dentistry and to give children a special and memorable experience regarding dental care and making that visit to see the dentist.

“Look around, you’ve got mascots, a DJ, face painters, corn hole, and some of the LPGA players are going to stop by and have a putting contest in the hallway with some of the kids. We want to give them a fun experience so that they’re not fearful of going to the dentist.”

Incredibly, some children had major dental work, including teeth extraction and cavity repair performed inside the Seaview Hotel conference room.

“The idea is to give them the dental care they need, and by the way, this is a smaller scale of what we normally provide. We have three dental lavatories for oral hygiene here whereas other events may have up to 13,” McCarthy noted.

TeamSmile, through a predominantly volunteer outreach, missions to provide children in need with a life-changing dental experience through the power of sports. The organization holds large-scale dental clinics in stadiums and arenas throughout the country in conjunction with teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and more.

Since its inception, TeamSmile has conducted over 275 programs, served over 55,000 children and provided over $20 million in free dental care and oral health education. Since the arrival of McCarthy in 2017, TeamSmile has almost quadrupled its annual revenue, added the Dental Home Project to connect children with a dental home, and served tens of thousands of children.

Children were selected from the Atlantic City public schools system to participate at the Seaview Hotel. Each student needed a signed form from a parent or guardian to qualify for dental hygiene initiatives.

Anaika Forbes-Grant, dental hygienist for Colgate Palmolive, added her smile and joy that comes with an outreach that changes lives positively.

“It’s a pleasure to work with Colgate-Palmolive as part of its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures campaign and to join with TeamSmile for this amazing initiative,” said Forbes-Grant, as rock music pulsed through the dental facility.

“It’s an amazing effort that assures students receive full-service dental treatment, not only cleaning, but fluoride, x-rays, and they also have dentists here that provide restorative treatment like cavities, construction, fillings; whatever that child needs dental wise, we try our best to make sure they receive it here. And, look around, it’s a lot of fun.”

Forbes-Grant noted that annually 51-million school hours are missed due to some type of oral health infection. And, many children do not have readily access to dental care in certain communities due to transportation, economics, or other challenges.

Colgate-Palmolive supplied TeamSmile with toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and educational materials to educate students about oral hygiene maintenance.

“Imagine the impact a program like TeamSmile can have on an individual, on a community,” Forbes-Grant said.

“Plus, we’re providing children with information that can improve their health. The hope is that they receive our message and use everything they learn here to improve their lives. It’s not just about improving their oral health game, it’s about improving their overall well-being.”

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].