ADSO’s Holiday Wish for Happy, Healthy Smiles in Chinatown

The Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Asian Dental Student Organization (ADSO), in collaboration with Global & Population Health (GPH), sustained a holiday tradition by participating in the Wang YMCA Holiday Party in Chinatown on December 8, 2013.

More than 700 members of the community attended the holiday party, which was held in the Wang YMCA gymnasium—transformed for the day into a winter wonderland with holiday decorations, wrapped gifts, balloons, and a Christmas tree. ADSO Community Outreach Chair Stephanie Leung DMD 15, with GPH faculty sponsor and Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, helped organize and prepare for GSDM’s involvement at the event. The volunteers offered a variety of entertaining and interactive oral health activities along with information and gifts of toothbrushes and toothpaste.

“This is an excellent opportunity to serve as role models while promoting oral health and dental careers,” said Lituri.

Leung is enthusiastic about the annual outreach tradition: “The Wang YMCA Holiday Party is one of ADSO’s favorite yearly community outreach events. We are grateful to be able to work with GPH to take part in the holiday festivities in Chinatown. We had much enthusiasm from volunteers from every DMD class this year and we all had a wonderful time.”

Leung continued, “As dental students, we are strong oral health advocates and so it is always our goal in events such as this Holiday Party, to provide a fun and interactive way for parents and their children, together, to learn the importance of good oral hygiene and healthy diets in preventing oral disease. In the spirit of this winter’s joys and laughter, we wish for everyone to have happy and healthy smiles.”

Thank you to the GSDM volunteers: Erwin Apaza DMD 17, Amanda Brogly DMD 15, Lucy Dang DMD 17, Daniel Galvez DMD 15, Jonathan Kuang DMD 17, Lana Le DMD 16, Michael Lee DMD 15, Derek Leung DMD 15, Stephanie Leung DMD 15, Jason Pan DMD 14, Andrew Pham DMD 15, Researcher Sawako Takeuchi, Khanti Tjiang DMD 17, John Xu DMD 16, and Joey Yu DMD 16.

Photos are available on Facebook and Flickr.