CHARLOTTE, North Carolina--National Children’s Oral Health Foundation: America’s ToothFairy has announced that Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Department of Pediatric Dentistry has been named the 2013 Affiliate of the Year.
Presented annually to a member of the America’s ToothFairy Affiliate network, the Affiliate of the Year Award recognizes exemplary commitment to eliminating pediatric dental disease. The national America’s ToothFairy affiliate network is comprised of nonprofit community health-care facilities dedicated to providing oral health services for children in need.
The award was presented Feb/ 21, 2013, to the VCU Department of Pediatric Dentistry during the America’s ToothFairy Celebration of Smiles in Chicago.
“We would like to express our gratitude to America’s ToothFairy, their Underwriters and their Program Sponsors. With their generous support and donations, America’s ToothFairy has given us our wings,” said Margaret Snellings, BSDH, RDH, VCU community relations coordinator, as she accepted the honor in the ToothFairy costume she wears when conducting community outreach activities for children throughout the Richmond, Va., region.
“We are honored to be recognized as the Affiliate of the Year, and the VCU School of Dentistry is proud to stand beside America’s ToothFairy to fight towards a future filled with brighter smiles for children.”
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry joined the America’s ToothFairy Affiliate Network in 2011, and has since been recognized as the first NCOHF University Affiliate Oral Health Zone through their active participation in Tomorrow’s SMILES, Students United for America’s ToothFairy, and the America’s ToothFairy Kids Club.
VCU offers preventive health services and free oral health education classes and visits from the ToothFairy at libraries, schools, faith-based organizations, health fairs, community events, WIC and Boys & Girls Clubs.
“An initial grant from America’s ToothFairy enabled the VCU Department of Pediatric Dentistry to reach more Richmond area children with vital oral health promotion and education,” said Tegwyn Brickhouse, DDS, PhD, chair and associate professor of pediatric dentistry. “What began as a few small events has established the foundation for a larger-scale Oral Health Zone outreach effort benefitting our entire community.”
Added David C. Sarrett, DMD, MS, dean, School of Dentistry and associate vice president for health sciences: “We are honored to be recognized as the 2013 America’s ToothFairy Affiliate of the Year. Their support has been instrumental in enabling us to provide children with critical oral health services and raise awareness of the importance of oral health and its link to overall systemic health.”
According to Fern Ingber, NCOHF president and CEO: “We applaud the tremendous dedication of the faculty, pediatric dental residents, dental and dental hygiene students at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry for their efforts to expand oral health education and services for underserved children in their community. They are true champions for children’s oral health and we are proud recognize VCU as the 2013 America’s ToothFairy Affiliate of the Year.”
For more information, visit www.AmericasToothFairy.org.
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