Creating Inner-City Urban Smiles

Monday, June 16, 2008

On June 11 volunteers, including University of Manitoba dental practitioners, hygienists and assistants went to the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre for the first annual Urban Smiles, a free day of oral care services for children, pregnant women and people with diabetes. Volunteers and displays provided information about the link between oral health and overall systemic health, one of the key messages of the Faculty of Dentistry, which this year is celebrating 50 years.For the last 35 years the Faculty has been part of community outreach initiatives to help Winnipeggers who may not be able to afford proper dental care. As part of its commitment to outreach, in 2000 the Faculty established the non-profit Centre for Community Oral Health (CCOH).

“The outreach that’s going on here today and the outreach that takes place everyday across Manitoba is so very important to people that do not have the services that others take for granted,” said Manitoba Premier Gary Doer who attended the event. “So this is a great of celebration; it is a great day to celebrate the unsung heroes that are part of the dental faculty that make so much of a difference for so many people.”

CCOH Director Dr. Doug Brothwell said that in many ways, Urban Smiles was simply business as usual for the community outreach arm of the Faculty.

“It’s been a little-known fact that for many years now, the Faculty of Dentistry has been a major source of care for the underserved,” he said. “Today, we are celebrating what we do every day of the year.”

Faculty of Dentistry Dean Anthony M. Iacopino noted that the event was important in several respects. In addition to marking the significant milestones for the Faculty and CCOH, Urban Smiles could be considered a model for the future of healthcare delivery.

“This is just one demonstration of the kinds of things that are possible and a realization that good oral health is critical to overall health and wellness,” Dr. Iacopino said. “We want the province of Manitoba, through the Faculty, to be a showcase for how one can take oral healthcare and make it part of a comprehensive healthcare for all people, and actually save healthcare dollars and improve the quality of life down the road with regards to preventing chronic inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and respiratory disease.”

The oral-systemic connection and the CCOH are two of the Nine Pillars of Innovation in the Faculty of Dentistry’s Drive for Top Five. The Faculty has a goal of becoming one of the top five dental schools in North America over the next five years.

For their contribution to community outreach in dentistry five University of Manitoba graduates were honored at Urban Smiles. They were: Dr. Peter Cooney, Dr. Art Schwartz, Dr. Olva Odlum, Dr. Phil Poon, Dr. Margot Pilley and Dr. Henry Redhead.

Urban Smiles wrapped up with a fundraising social with live entertainment on Friday, June 13 at the Pyramid Cabaret.

For more information, contact:
Tamara Bodi
Communications Officer
Public Affairs
bodi@cc.umanitoba.ca
Phone: (204) 474-7963
Fax: (204) 474-7631