Annual Kids’ Day at The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry

By: Divesh Sardana, MDS, MBA, MPH, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor Division of Pediatric Dentistry

The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, in partnership with Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation, hosted its annual Kids’ Day event on Saturday, February 25, providing free dental care for nearly 90 children between the ages of 4 to 12 from across the state. Kids’ Day has been an annual tradition for the last 24 years and provides free dental care to children who do not have access to dental services elsewhere. Kids’ Day is the brainchild of an alumnus of the college, Dr. Darrell Daugherty, DDS, who conceived the idea in 1997, and since then, it has been a grand success with support from the college community. We were lucky to have him come to the college on Kids’ Day and share his story: “Our 1997 ASDA philanthropy committee couldn’t come up with many options. Our only assets were our nascent dental skills and the good will of the OUCOD faculty and students. Thankfully, these were enough to birth the first Kid’s Day and we experienced the satisfaction and camaraderie of giving back to our community as a unified profession for the first time. Knowing how much work it was to organize that first one, I am so grateful and proud of Dr. Kevin Haney, Dr. Tim Fagan, and all of the students, staff and faculty that have kept it going for 25 years!”

Statistically, Oklahoma ranks 46 among the US states according to the percentage of children younger than 19 years who are not covered by public or private insurance, with this number being 8.6%.1 In this listing, Massachusetts is at the top with 1.5% uninsured children, and Texas is at the bottom with 12.7% uninsured children. Only 72% of children in Oklahoma have received one or more dental visits compared to the national figure of 80%. Additionally, 66% of third graders have experienced tooth decay (treated or untreated) compared to only 52% of the national average.2 Thus, programs like Veterans’ Day (hosted by the college on November 12, 2023) and Kids’ Day are critical to narrowing the gap between the care providers and care-seekers in Oklahoma.

Dental and dental hygiene students, under the supervision of trained dentists and members of the dental faculty of the OU College of Dentistry, provided a range of dental treatments and services, from cleanings and fillings to crowns. Listed below, these services, provided at no cost during Kids’ Day, are valued at more than $45,000, not to mention the opportunity costs of 160 faculty, students, and other volunteers from the College of Dentistry who were in the Clinic on Saturday to join hands against the inequity in dental care across the state. This can be seen as a significant step towards the mission of the OU College of Dentistry, which is “to improve the health of Oklahomans and shape the future of dentistry by developing highly qualified dental practitioners and scientists through excellence in education, patient care, research, community service, faculty and facilities.”

“Oral health is an essential component of one’s overall systemic health, and healthy habits begin early in one’s life,” said Dr. Paul M. Mullasseril, DDS, MS, Dean of the college. “The OU College of Dentistry is proud to offer this free clinic, which plays a significant role in addressing the immediate dental needs for children in our community. In addition, this clinic also instills in our dental and dental hygiene students the value of community service, as well as the hands-on clinical experience they need to become well-rounded dental professionals.”

Dr. Tim Fagan, DDS, MS, who is the current Division Head and William E. Brown Chair in Pediatric Dentistry at OUHSC feels that “OU Kids Day is a wonderful opportunity for the students at the College of Dentistry to volunteer their services in providing care to children who might not receive dental care otherwise. It’s a winwin for all in that the students get further experience in providing dental services and the patients get care that they need. It’s great when we all come together to help those in need!”

However, a lot needs to be achieved to target Universal Dental Care and OU College of Dentistry is striving towards Health for All and sustainable dental care in Oklahoma. This can be attained by joint efforts from the students, faculty, volunteers, and philanthropic organizations who provide logistic and financial support for such community activities.2

Procedures done during the Annual Kids’ Day:

• Limited Oral Evaluations: 90

• Intraoral Periapical Radiographs: 24

• Bitewings: 42

• Pedo Prophylaxis: 80

• Pedo Topical Fluoride Varnish: 76

References:

• Sealants: 27

• Resin-Based Composite: 24

• Crown: 6

• Pedo Pulp Cap: 1

• Therapeutic Pulpotomy: 4

• Extractions: 16

• Patients Received Nitrous Oxide: 21 https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/Uninsured_children/OK [Accessed on: April 20, 2023]

Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation. Oklahoma Oral Health Report Card 2020. Available online at: http://www.oohc.org/custom_files/Okla_Oral_Health_Report_ Card_2020.pdf [Accessed on: May 1, 2023]

Northridge ME, Kumar A, Kaur R. Disparities in Access to Oral Health Care. Annu Rev Public Health. 2020;41:513-535.