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Photos: 340 JPS students receive free dental care during Give Kids a Smile

Published on Monday, February 10, 2020

School of Dentistry students and faculty welcomed and treated nearly 400 elementary school students from the Jackson Public School District last Friday during the 14th annual Give Kids a Smile event.

The children received free dental treatment in the form of cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, and dental students, in return, got needed experience and a chance to give back to their community. Plus, they had fun: many School of Dentistry students dressed up as tooth fairies and wore colorful costumes to amuse the sometimes nervous child.

The American Dental Association began the Give Kids a Smile program in 2003 as a way for dentists to join with the community to provide dental services to underserved children. In 2017, the School of Dentistry incorporated Give Kids a Smile into a new, weeklong effort providing care to underserved and uninsured adults and veterans from across the state called Dental Mission Week.

Girl in yellow dental glasses looks at her teeth in mirror.
Ivori Williams inspects her newly cleaned teeth.
Dental student brushes girl's teeth.
Ali Bounds, a fourth-year dental student, brushes Tamyra Austin's teeth.
Close up of dental student working with patient in foreground.
Justin Starnes, a second-year dental student, finishes a cleaning.
Dental student looks on as her professor checks out a pediatric patient.
Lakymberya Buckner, a third-year dental hygiene student, watches Dr. Bill Boteler, an assistant professor of dentistry, prepare to check Williams' teeth.
Two dental hygiene students lean out of interior office window.
Emily Revette, left, and Ashtin Hunter, fourth-year dental hygiene students, await the arrival of more JPS students.
Close of up patient with dental tools in mouth.
Cortez McGee receives a fluoride treatment.
Man in blue scrubs, center, looks at child and dental student in foreground.
State Sen. Hillman Frazier, a regular attendee and supporter of Dental Mission Week, observes a child being treated during the Give Kids a Smile event.
A patient, center, looks up at Dr. Woodward as she chats before two dental students on the left and right begin work.
Dr. LouAnn Woodward, standing center, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs, gives a few words of encouragement to Ja'Niya Flemmons before getting the JPS student gets her teeth cleaned by Lien Huynh, left, a fourth-year dental hygiene student, and Ashlynne Baney, a third-year dental hygiene student.
Student in a gold hat laughs.
Louis Montgomery III, a fourth-year dental hygiene student, shares a laugh with his fellow students.
Two dental students lean over a pediatric patient while working.
Brandon Bouldin gets a cleaning with the help of Montana Mills, left, a fourth-year dental hygiene student, and Alexis Hollingsworth, a third-year dental hygiene student.
Girl in gold cape.
Jackie McGrath, a first-year dental student, entertained and played with JPS students in the dental clinic's waiting room.
Dental hygiene student with pediatric patient.
Rebecca Jenkins, a fourth-year dental hygiene student, finishes McGee's cleaning.
Two dental students work on pediatric patient between them.
Brooke Barnes, a dental assisting technology student at Hinds Community College, and Trent Johnson, a third-year dental student at UMMC, work on Christopher Bouldin's teeth.
Dental students high five elementary students.
First-year dental students, from left, Will Allen, Julianna Woodward, Kaeton Long and Codi Ballard give high-fives to Johnson Elementary School students.
Two women pose for portrait in front of dental clinic doors.
Jessica Edwards, left, community relations liaison for Garner Dental Group, and Shirley Hamm, marketing director for Garner Dental Group, show up in support of Give Kids a Smile. Garner Dental Group donated $20,000 to GKAS this year.