Give Kids a Smile
UNE Dental Program Hold Fourth-Annual Give Kids A Smile Event
Drew Barry (D.M.D., ’25) started her day on Feb. 7 at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine knowing she would provide free dental service to a local child at the Give Kids A Smile event. Barry didn't know just how young her patient would be — or that it was the child’s first dental visit.
Working with Sara Ryder (Dental Hygiene, ’25), Barry welcomed the 4-year-old boy and, together, the UNE student team provided an experience marked by empathy, patience, and simple, fun explanations. When the young child left, high-stepping his way out of UNE’s Oral Health Clinic like the grand marshal of a parade, Barry called it a win.
“He actually came in saying what he does when he’s scared is to take deep breaths and count. And we told him to do that at any point today. But he didn’t need to,” Barry said. “We gave him a full tour of the operatory, showed him what everything was. He was very curious. And he acclimated really well. We could tell he felt he was in a place where he could learn new things.”
Calming fears and teaching the benefits of annual dental visits to local school children was one goal of the fourth-annual event hosted by UNE’s College of Dental Medicine and Department of Dental Hygiene. The event also provided over $13,000 in free dental care to 93 patients ages 4 to 20 in RSU 23 (Old Orchard Beach). It was the largest ever collaboration of doctoral dental medicine and undergraduate dental hygiene students practicing together in the Oral Health Center’s real-world clinical exam space on UNE’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences.
The record 93 students who came from RSU 23 in Old Orchard Beach was another win, considering the event drew just 38 students in its first year, said Sarah Burnham, a registered nurse in RSU 23.
Burnham said the UNE students do a great job helping to decrease the fear that can be associated with a dental visit, and the seamlessly run UNE event helps out parents who can’t take time off work to take their children to the dentist.
Today, dentists recommend children start seeing the dentist by age 1. But that doesn’t always happen, said UNE Associate Clinical Professor Chris Cotterill, D.M.D, a pediatric dentist of 20 years. The cost is one reason, Cotterill said, but education is another. Many parents just don’t know.
The Give Kids A Smile event helps teach the importance of these annual visits, while also providing cleanings, fluoride varnish, and sealants.
“Throughout the morning, I visited operatories, talked with many of the patients, and enjoyed hearing about their appointment as they told me how many teeth they have and smiled to show me their sparkly teeth,” said Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., dean of UNE’s College of Dental Medicine. “I hope that we will see even more of the students from Old Orchard Beach next year.
“Untreated dental disease can lead to severe pain that impacts a child’s ability to eat and drink properly, disrupts their sleep patterns, affects their concentration, and contributes to changes in behavior,” Kimmes added.
As Cotterill stood watching with Assistant Clinical Professor Yun Sara Kim, D.M.D., the two dentists explained that the careful, unhurried, and kind attention the students offered their patients was no accident. The entire approach was carefully choreographed many times at the Oral Health Center at Northern New England’s only dental school.
“As you can see most of them are doing really well,” Kim said, looking at a row of four 4-year-old patients. “Whenever there are no tears or crying, it’s a good thing. I’m a parent myself. This is a really nice way to introduce them to the dentist.”
Read press coverage by WGME 13 (Feb. 7, 2025), Portland Press Herald (Feb. 10, 2025), and Saco Bay News (Feb. 13, 2025).
article link: https://www.une.edu/UNE-Dental-Programs-Hold-Fourth-Annual-Give-Kids-A-Smile-Event
