UK Undergrads Partner with the ToothFairy Program to Spread Oral Health Awareness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2015)  – The University of Kentucky Students United with America’s ToothFairy (SUAT) chapter was recently spotlighted by the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation for their passion to supply oral health education to elementary and middle schools in Kentucky.

Through the America’s ToothFairy® program, the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation works to eliminate children’s preventable suffering from pediatric dental disease by providing programs and comprehensive resources to deliver community-based critical preventive, educational and treatment services.

Founded in the fall of 2014 by University of Kentucky undergraduate student Ailey Layson, UK’s SUAT chapter is comprised of more than 100 UK undergrad students interested in dentistry, who are also part of the UK Pre-dental Society (UKPDS). As one of the largest and more active SUAT chapters in the nation, UK SUAT held six community outreach events reaching more than 500 students already in 2015, targeting schools in Lexington and some rural Kentucky areas.

At each event, SUAT members share oral health and nutrition information via videos, presentations, and demonstrations of proper tooth brushing and flossing. The group also talks to children about the effects of tobacco on oral health, engages students with questions and activities, and conducts a pre- and post-survey to gauge what information children take away. At other schools, they attend scheduled health fairs. Children are provided with oral health supplies, including toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss.

“I realized that people who live in rural areas and of lower socioeconomic status may know little about dental hygiene and less about its importance," Nabeela Rahman, a first-year UK College of Dentistry student and former UKPDS president, said. "At a young age, these children can lose and permanently damage their teeth. Being able to help these children, even slightly, was a very rewarding experience for me. My goal right now would be to become a general dentist in a rural area and spend my spare time volunteering in my community, as well as in underserved countries.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks tooth decay as the most common chronic disease in children and adolescents ages 6 to 19. Kentucky’s children are certainly not immune to this oral health problem. The results of a 2001 Kentucky children’s oral health survey found that 29 percent of third- and sixth-grade students screened had untreated tooth decay and 75 percent had not seen a dentist in more than a year.

"Starting a SUAT chapter at the University of Kentucky has made me more aware of the oral health education need of our community,” Layson said. “It has given me the opportunity to see what it's like to plan behind the scenes of outreach programs, and I believe I will be able to use this experience in the future when I become a dentist. My ultimate career goal is to become a general dentist and serve those in underprivileged populations. I plan on applying for the National Health Service Corps to help those who really need it.”

“Combining the UK Pre-dental Society (UKPDS) and SUAT chapter was a wonderful opportunity, spearheaded by Ailey Layson and Nabeela Rahman,” Christine Harper, UKCD assistant dean for student affairs, said. “They are two high-energy women who inspire members of the UKPDS/SUAT student organization. The two have helped to expand the organization’s focus from academic interest with occasional outreach activities to a group actively engaged in service and dental education for children. These dental educational outreach activities in the community are a wonderful extension to the strong commitment the UK College of Dentistry has to serve the Commonwealth.”

Over the summer, members of the SUAT chapter plan on connecting with potential donors for toothbrushes, as well as local elementary and middle schools to discuss their next round of visits. Harper serves as an adviser to the group, assisting with guest speaker suggestions and sharing best practices in outreach activities. Layson will step into the role of president for UKPDS/SUAT, and Rahman, who has served as president of UKPDS for two years, hopes to continue supporting the group while studying at UKCD. 

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu