Big Smiles for Oral Health Campaign

There were smiles all around as dentists, dental students and persons with special needs met and mingled in Oakville on March 28. They were brought together by The Sharing Smiles Day, presented by the Oral Health, Total Health Campaign, led by faculty and students from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto (U of T), in association with Mount Sinai Hospital’s Dental Clinic for Persons with Special Needs.

According to Campaign Chair, Ali Sigal, a student in U of T’s dental faculty, Sharing Smiles was created to break down barriers between people with special needs and dental health professionals, and to communicate the importance of good oral health amongst this population. The event featured games and face painting, a free luncheon and interactive demonstrations on proper oral care.

“The day went so well,” said Ali. “A lot of the dental students had never interacted with a person with special needs before, and at first they were a little unsure, but their transformation to seeing the participants as people, as friends, was incredible.”

Ali’s mother, a retired nurse, put it best, saying, “The venue turned into a beating heart.”

By afternoon, the comfort level was such that the demonstrations of tooth brushing and proper oral hygiene were embraced by the participants. “The participants were interested in hearing the dentists’ instructions, they all brushed and you could see they felt a sense of accomplishment,” said Ali.

The students – both dental hygiene students from George Brown College and dental students from U of T – learned about communication and building trust. “There was a huge range of special needs,” said Ali. “Some participants were non-verbal, some were in wheelchairs, and each student had to get out of their comfort zone in order to interact with them.”

Her hope is that the relationships fostered during Sharing Smiles will extend beyond the day and into the dental students’ future practices.

In the meantime, Oral Health, Total Health works towards the goal of raising money for the Department of Dentistry’s clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital to advocate, educate and improve oral health care for persons with special needs.

To make a donation, click here.

Campaign Chair Ali Sigal (right) with participant Annie Moore

Game playing during Sharing Smiles Day

Did You Know? Persons with special needs experience more oral disease than the general population. Research links inflammatory gum disease and cavities with diseases like diabetes and heart disease. These increased risks pose even greater potential health problems for this vulnerable population.