UWA students help local children smile through dental clinic

Undergraduate students lead dental health education initiative and clinic

UWA biology students are helping area youth smile through a dental education program launched in 2019. Tamoria Ford, second from left, is one of three UWA students leading a collaboration with the American Dental Association to provide education and basic services in a one-day clinic held recently.

A group of students at the University of West Alabama kicked off National Dental Health Awareness month with a one-day dental clinic for area students. Through collaboration with the American Dental Association, Dr. Heather Holley and University Charter School, three UWA students helped provide services and dental education to more than 160 students.

Tamoria Ford, a sophomore, Anna Morse, a junior, and Caitlyn Muncher, a senior, with the support of biology instructor Tracy Keener, coordinated the clinic, now in its second year. It is part of the Give Kids A Smile program offered by the American Dental Association. The program pairs dentists and organizations for providing supplies that promote dental health care and education.

UWA is one of only six Alabama recipients of the 2020 GKAS product kits.

“We held our first event in 2019, and it was strictly for dental health education,” Keener explained. “For this year’s event, we partnered with Dr. Heather Holley of Livingston Family Dental and were able to provide sealants and fluoride treatments to children.” Holley’s clinic is closed on Fridays, so the team volunteered on their “off” day.

Dr. Heather Holley and the staff at Livingston Family Dental gave their time for the one-day clinic to provide sealants and flouride treatments to area students participating. Pictured with the staff are UWA students Caitlyn Muncher (left), Anna Morse (right) and biology instructor Tracy Keener (front-center).

The project started when one of Keener’s students approached her about opportunities that would help reach career goals as a dentist. They researched programs together and discovered GKAS.

“Hosting an event like GKAS is a fantastic outreach opportunity for our undergraduates interested in dental school,” Keener said. “They have a chance to become dental health advocates and will have real stories to tell dental school interviewers when applying to programs.”

Keener’s guidance helped launch the program, but she says students have developed the program to its current scale.

“UWA undergraduates drive the event, from planning to implementation,” Keener said. “Next year, I expect the event to grow and expand to additional area schools.”

For more information on UWA’s involvement with the Give Kids A Smile program, contact Tracy Keener at tkeener@uwa.edu or 205-652-5506.