ASDA and Crest Team up at the Yawkey Club
On February 26, the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BUGSDM) chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) held a fun and interactive dental health fair for children at the Yawkey Club, a Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston location in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The aim of the dental health fair was to celebrate children’s dental health month, while educating children of various ages on how to achieve good oral health. ASDA has held similar events at the Yawkey Club, but this was the first where they were able to provide sealants to children with their parent’s consent.
The event included six stations for children to visit with their dental "passports." Each station focused on a different aspect of dental health, including: brushing and flossing, the negative effects of tobacco on oral health, tooth protectors, the importance of regular dental visits, what teeth are used for, and the importance of eating healthy for good oral health. After visiting a station, children received a sticker on their passports and once they had collected all six stickers, they were given goodie bags featuring a toothbrush, toothpaste, games, and puzzles. Supplies for the event and goodie bags were donated by Crest.
The event was organized by ASDA Community Outreach Co-Chairs, Adrienne Archidiacono DMD 09 and Reza Sharifi DMD 08. Additional BUGSDM student volunteers included Courtney Madigan DMD 09, Matthew Rosen DMD 11, Kerry Anzenberger DMD 09, Sophia Lalani DMD 09, Jeffrey Martin DMD 09, Jade Than DMD 09, Chelsea Deutscher DMD 09, Heather Parsons DMD 11, Rich Derksen DMD 09, Hillary Sivek DMD 11, Brian Schmid DMD 08, Courtney Brady DMD 11, Joobin Ghahremani DMD 09, Emerson Ehlis DMD 09, Rani Shah DMD 11, Cameron Braasch DMD 09, Anas Al Ahar DMD 09, Aayna Sanghvi DMD 09, and Vivian Valdez DMD 09.
Yawkey Club Social Worker Greg Stoddard coordinated the event with BUGSDM and could not have been happier with the turnout. "I love working with BUGSDM," said Greg. "They are ideal partners due to their preparedness and their ability to make learning fun. Many of the children who attend the Yawkey Club are part of a group that is underserved by the medical population, so having BUGSDM students volunteer here is invaluable."