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Third and fourth-year dentistry students volunteered for Sharing Smiles Day

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It was a success that will definitely be repeated. The Faculty of Dentistry鈥檚 first Sharing Smiles Day, held on April 2, 2016, brought together 25 dentistry students, five faculty, and 36 participants with intellectual and physical challenges. The objective was to play games, have fun, get comfortable with each other, and learn a bit about oral health care in the process.

Sharing Smiles Day is an event promoted by Oral Health, Total Health, a federal non-profit organisation with a mission to advocate, educate, and improve the oral health care of persons with special needs.

Have fun and build confidence

Jessica Barron, president of the 鲍鱼tv Dentistry Students鈥� Society, was one of the organisers of the event. 鈥淥ur goal,鈥� she says, 鈥渨as to provide opportunities for positive interaction between dentistry students and people with special needs. There was some oral health care involved, but our main aim was to build comfort and confidence.鈥�

The third and fourth-year students and faculty hosted a Carnival Day in the Dentistry Building with several different stations and activities. Participants were able to play hockey or foosball, try their hand at the beanbag toss, make bracelets, and decorate T-shirts and cupcakes, among other activities, including practising their oral hygiene skills. The student volunteers moved from station to station to help participants with each activity.

Special needs patients have difficulty finding dental care

According to Oral Health, Total Health, those with special needs experience a higher incidence of oral disease, including cavities and gum disease, than the general population. At the same time, they have more difficulty finding dental care in their communities. Many general dentists refer special needs patients to specialists, which delays their treatment and often requires that patients travel much greater distances 鈥� sometimes just for a check up.

Sharing Smiles Day is all about building comfort and positive relationships between dentistry and dental hygiene students and patients with special needs so that the students will feel comfortable caring for special needs patients as part of their private practices.

Jessica says that the third-year students are eager to start planning next year鈥檚 event and this year鈥檚 participants are excited to come again. She says the event has made an impact on her. 鈥淚 want to offer the full scope of dental care in my private practice to the best of my abilities, including looking after patients with special needs.鈥�

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