Special Olympics
Special Olympics Special Smiles is one of the core components of the Special
Olympics Healthy Athletes initiative, created to focus attention on the overall
health issues facing Special Olympics athletes. The mission of Special Smiles
is to increase access to dental care for Special Olympics athletes, as well
as all people with mental retardation.
Special Olympics Special Smiles May 2007
A very full day of fun in the sun!
It was a beautiful sunny day that greeted the special athletes and the
many volunteers at the Delta Dental/ NMDHA tent. One dental hygiene volunteer
feels that the experience is so rewarding that she will never let a year
go by without being an integral part of the whole experience.
The experience
she speaks of is involved and requires "tons of dental supplies." Some volunteers
help register the athletes. Others are paired with an athlete to help them
from station to station. One station offers oral screenings for the athletes.
Another station offers fuzzy animals where oral hygiene is taught and where
the athletes can brush the "dragon's" teeth.
The athletes love it! One of
the animals even squirts water at them! If the athlete would like a mouth
guard, they are taken to yet another station where the mouth guards are heated
and custom fit. The results of the athlete's screening are turned in and
a copy given to the athlete, care giver, or coach. Recommendations of any
needed treatment are provided for the parents or caregiver as well. At the
last station, athletes find a treasure box where they can choose a prize
and are given a goodie bag!
One volunteer said that the Special Smiles tent easily saw over 250 athletes
and made hundreds of mouth guards! Volunteers included dental hygienists,
dentists, dental assistants, dental hygiene students, friends, and family
members. They each received a sack lunch, T-shirt, and endless fun!
None of this would be possible without the support of Delta Dental. They
have sponsored SOSS and worked in partnership with NMDHA for the past 9 years
to bring smiles to very special athletes.
A heartfelt "thank you" to all of you who made smiles happen both inside
and outside the tent!
P.S. Six hours of CE are available for hygienists who attend a short presentation
on "Special Needs" AND volunteer for Special Olympics Special Smiles!
New Mexico Local Coordinators:
Albuquerque:
Lisa Esparza
lisa@nmdha.org
Las Cruces:
Judy Lopez
judy.lopez@state.nm.us
Farmington:
Valoree Newton
valoree@nmdha.org
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