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Contact: Rosalia Scalia
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May 31, 2000
Dental Students Bring Special Smiles to Special Olympics
Fifteen dentists and 35 dental students, hygienists and faculty members from the University of Maryland Dental School will participate in the Special Olympics, Special Smiles Program in an effort to provide oral health exams and screening to nearly 300 athletes. The dental students and faculty members will offer one-on-one oral hygiene instruction and noninvasive oral exams. They will also give Special Olympic athletes goody bags that include toothbrushes, toothpaste floss and a list of local dentists who are receptive to treating people with special needs.
Special Olympics Special Smiles (SOSS) is a program designed to increase access to oral health care for all people with mental retardation, and particularly those competing in the Special Olympics. This marks the fifth year Dental School has participated in the SOSS program, launched in 1993 by Dr. Steven Perlman at the Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
WHAT: Special Olympics, Special Smiles Program
WHO: Dental school students, hygienists and faculty from University of Maryland Dental School Special Olympic Athletes
Mark Wagner, DDS, faculty dentist leading the project
300 Special Olympic Athletes
WHERE: Special Olympics Maryland Games
Byrd Stadium, University of Maryland College Park
WHEN: Saturday, June 3, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
HIGH-LIGHTS: Following the screening, each athlete will receive a "report card" on the status of their oral health to give to their parent/guardian, or to review if they are responsible for themselves. There are check boxes on the report card where the examiner will indicate if the athlete is doing a reasonable job of taking care of his or her teeth, needs to do a better job of brushing and flossing, or needs to go to a dentist to take care of specific problems.
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