Nearly 90 schoolchildren receive free dental care through annual UNE community initiative

Student providers from the University of New England’s doctoral College of Dental Medicine and undergraduate Department of Dental Hygiene welcomed nearly 90 elementary- and secondary-age students from Maine Regional School District (RSU) 23, serving the community of Old Orchard Beach, to the University’s Oral Health Center on Friday, Feb. 6, for UNE’s fifth annual “Give Kids A Smile” event.

Eighty-five students from RSU 23 received a full slate of preventive dental services at no cost, including cleanings, fluoride treatments, protective sealants, and oral health education, delivered by UNE dental medicine and dental hygiene students working together in clinical teams. Each child also received a take-home oral care kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and educational materials to support healthy habits beyond the visit.

The one-day event provided over $14,000 in free dental care, helping remove barriers to access while introducing families to ongoing resources available through UNE’s Oral Health Center, located on the University’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences — the only fully integrated health sciences campus of its kind in New England. 

The now-annual event is part of a national Give Kids A Smile initiative coordinated by the American Dental Association, during which dentists and dental students across the country provide care to underserved children. 

“Untreated dental disease can lead to severe pain that impacts a child’s ability to eat and drink properly, disrupts their sleep patterns, affects their concentration, and contributes to changes in behavior,” said Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., dean of the UNE College of Dental Medicine, Maine’s only dental school and the only such college of dental medicine north of Boston. 

“By hosting events like Give Kids A Smile, we improve access and education for the children of Maine and decrease the number impacted by these conditions right in our home communities," she said.

At UNE, the program has grown steadily since its launch in 2020 and continues to reflect the University’s commitment to improving community health while preparing future providers through hands-on, team-based learning.

“This experience, with dental hygiene and dental students working together to deliver care to children, enhances communication and delivers more comprehensive oral health education to the children coming to visit the OHC today,” said Dianne Smallidge, RDH, Ed.D., director of the undergraduate Department of Dental Hygiene at UNE.

Alexander Dyke (D.M.D., ’26), who plans to pursue a pediatric dentistry residency, said events like Give Kids A Smile benefit both families and students. 

“The work we’re doing today is extremely important in providing underserved populations get the care they otherwise wouldn’t have. They deserve the world,” Dyke said. ““It also means that I get experience, and it means other students get experience. “We get to work with faculty and see their input on the type of ways they would go about doing that — it broadens my horizons and increases the tools in my toolbox.”

Sarah Burnham, RN, a district nurse for RSU 23, said the event provides critical access for families who may face multiple barriers to care, such as insurance or transportation.

“This creates a positive place for kids to come, make sure their teeth are staying healthy, and leave with great smiles,” Burnham said.

(Right): Alexander Dyke (D.M.D., ’26) treats a pediatric patient in preparation for the pediatric dentistry residency he hopes to pursue after graduating from Maine’s only dental medicine program.

Beyond its immediate community influence, the event also serves as a key workforce development opportunity for UNE students, who gain real-world experience delivering pediatric care, collaborating across disciplines and serving populations that often face barriers to oral health services.

Therese Cahill, executive director of the Maine Dental Association, said that experience leads to long-term impact that extends well beyond the care delivered in a single day. 

“Access is important, but the long-term impact of a positive interaction — having their teeth cleaned and leaving with a good feeling about going to the dentist — carries on longer than we’ll ever know,” Cahill said. “That carryover and the lifelong impact that the exposure for students to work with people who have challenges to is vital. 

“I just can't say enough about the students that graduate from UNE that stay in Maine,” she added. ”Their focus is exactly what Maine needs.

Read media coverage of this event in the Biddeford Gazette, Biddeford Buzz, and Saco Bay News.