Carilion Dental Care Partnered with Area Volunteers to Save Smiles
On Feb. 7, Carilion Clinic Dental Care hosted its annual Super Smile Savers event at the Tanglewood Center in Roanoke.
Super Smile Savers is a free community health event focused on oral health prevention for children aged 6-16 where licensed dental professionals provided:
- Free dental exams/consultations
- Free sealants, SDF (Silver Diamine Fluoride) and Fluoride varnish application applied as needed
- Free educational information focusing on healthy oral care, including:
- Healthy eating
- Interactive brushing and flossing demonstration
- Preventing “mouth monsters” (tooth decay, tartar, gingivitis)
85 professionals volunteered for the event and served more than 40 patients.
“Pediatric dental care is essential as it establishes lifelong health habits, prevents early decay and pain, supports proper speech and eating, boosts confidence, and addresses children’s unique developmental needs,” said Dr. Karina Miller, Carilion Pediatric Dentist and event founder. “We are so fortunate to have a strong network of peers and dentistry learners willing to dedicate their time to this important event to improve access to this needed care.”
As a not-for-profit, Carilion’s mission is to improve the health of the communities that it serves. This mission-driven event illustrated that mission at work, with Carilion and community experts volunteering their time to meet patients and families where they are, offering free pediatric preventative dental care to mainly uninsured patients and patients with no dental home.
To learn more about Carilion Dental Care offerings, visit CarilionClinic.org.