ASDOH students reach out to provide oral health education to homeless individuals
Posted: March 21, 2013
A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) students reached out to A New Leaf’s La Mesita Family Homeless Shelter in Mesa, Ariz., on March 5, to increase awareness among residents of preventing oral disease and the need for regular preventive oral care.
Through ASDOH’s Students United for America’s Tooth Fairy (SUAT), students provided oral health education to 17 adults and 30 children who were seeking emergency and affordable housing and access to support services at La Mesita. Those who received oral health education also received a “goody bag” that included oral health literature, xylitol gum, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and a list of low-cost dental clinics.
“The first ATSU-ASDOH SUAT community event was a success,” said Caitlin Gomez, D2, and SUAT secretary. “The children were very excited about learning and showing how much they already knew. They absolutely loved brushing the sticky foods off the big magnetic tooth!”
In addition to Gomez, other D2 students who participated in the SUAT outreach include: Hanna Babayed, Dalia Bedair, Sara Coutts, Omar Elnabawi, Ruvim Zhuk, and Sarah May.
