Orchard Gardens Marks Sixth Year of Learning and Smiles at GSDM

Sixty-five second grade students from Orchard Gardens K-8 School participated in a field trip to Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) on April 7.

Organizers Oral Health Promotion Coordinator Kathy Lituri and Assistant Director of APEX & Extramural Programs Kathy Held led a fun-filled program that gave the second graders the opportunity to learn about oral health, meet with Dean Jeffrey Hutter, and act as "dental students" for a day. As "dental students" the second graders practiced hand-washing and donned gowns, masks, and gloves in preparation for an activity that demonstrated the effectiveness of sealants using walnuts and a crushed mixture of popular junk food. The trip was completed with a lesson on nutrition and a pizza party.

Lituri and Held were assisted with the day’s events by 25 student volunteers: 16 GSDM dental students, seven dental hygiene students from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services and The Forsyth Institute, and two Boston University College of Arts & Sciences Pre-dental students.

The field trip is one component of the school-based oral health initiative, Smart Smiles, that provides preventive dental services to children attending Boston Public Schools, including Orchard Gardens K-8 School. Smart Smiles is part of the GSDM Division of Community Health Program’s Wellness in Community, School and Workplace Grant funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

"Kathy Lituri and Kathy Held put together an excellent event for the second grade students of Orchard Gardens K-8 School and it was wonderful to see so many dental, dental hygiene, and pre-dental students working together and volunteering their time as part of this field trip," said Dean Hutter. "I was pleased to have an opportunity to meet with the second graders, many of whom I could tell have a prominent career in dental medicine ahead of them."

Photos from the field trip are available on GSDM’s flickr account and also on the GSDM Facebook page. You must have full web access to view the flickr account, but do not need a personal Facebook account to view photos on the Facebook page.