Following the screenings, children receive an oral health kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, fluoride for the age appropriate, a tooth fairy box, oral hygiene instructions and a dental resource brochure in English and Spanish. Children in need of further dental treatment are connected with a community health worker who helps connect them with the necessary care. This could include helping a parent complete a Medicaid/CHIP application or arranging dental care from one of the 87 Save a Smile volunteer dentists and specialists who have provided more than $6.5 million in dental care to date.

According to Tonya Fuqua, DDS, program director for Save a Smile, the program is about establishing relationships and changing behaviors. “We can drill and fill all day long, but if we can’t change their behavior or mindset, those we treat are going to end up in the same situation. We don’t just put out a fire – we provide comprehensive dental care. We get kids cavity free. We need kids and their parents to understand how to achieve oral health and how to stay there.”

Save a Smile uses funding from the Patterson Foundation to transport kids and their families to volunteer dentists’ offices to receive free care. Fuqua, who started Save a Smile and oversees it part-time in addition to running her own dental practice, said that funds from the Foundation have been vital. “I’m thrilled and excited that the Patterson Foundation has been willing to fund the transportation section of our program,” she said. “Our community health workers are an important component of Save a Smile and they provide transportation so that children can get their health taken care of. So to fund the transportation is vital. I’m really grateful that the Patterson Foundation continues to support this need.”

Scott Anderson, member of the Patterson Foundation Board of Directors and president and CEO of Patterson Companies, said “The Foundation is honored to partner with Cook Children’s and many other organizations across the country working to expand access to healthcare for those who need it most. The volunteer healthcare providers that work with programs like Save a Smile are the true heroes. Their efforts are making a tremendous positive impact on their communities each and every day.”

The Patterson Foundation awards approximately 25-30 grants per year and is always considering partnerships with new organizations. Programs that relate directly to the Patterson Foundation’s mission and guidelines are most likely to receive grant funding. The Board of Directors meets four times per year to review grant proposals. To learn more about the Patterson Foundation and its giving programs, please visit www.pattersonfoundation.net.