TeamSmile and the Kansas City Chiefs turned Arrowhead into a place for free dental care on Wednesday, giving hundreds of underserved children a chance to get treatment, meet players and spend the day in a setting built to ease nerves.
The “TeamSmile Oral Health Youth Clinic” began at Arrowhead 20 years ago, and the program has since spread to stadiums and arenas around the country. For this year’s 20th annual Kansas City Oral Health Care Day, the Chiefs said 350 kids from seven area schools took part and received free dental work. Some also walked away with autographs from Chiefs players.
The day came with plenty beyond the dental chair. Chiefs players and cheerleaders were on hand, along with face-painting, a DJ and dancing.
TeamSmile’s goal is simple: make going to the dentist feel less intimidating for children who may have never had that kind of experience before.
“I think it’s fun going to the dentist,” 10-year-old Ja’raiya Jones said.
The organization says its mission is to give children in need a life-changing dental experience through sports. Dr. Bill Busch said that connection helps lower the anxiety that often comes with a dental visit.
“Sports really connect with the community, and we can use the energy because a lot of people don’t like coming to the dentist,” Dr. Bill Busch said. “So, this is a way we can trick the kids into coming to the dentist and a lot of kids have never been to the dentist before, so we want to make an experience that they’ll never forget.”
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo praised the work Busch has done in Kansas City.
“It’s just grown, and I just think it’s just remarkable what he’s done for the kids in Kansas City,” Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said.
Busch founded TeamSmile in 2007, and the group says it has now served more than 70,000 children in need, treating everything from cavities to chipped teeth. Over the past two decades, TeamSmile has staged more than 350 programs at stadiums and arenas nationwide.
“We are literally coast to coast,” Exec. Dir. John McCarthy said many of these children have never seen a dentist.
McCarthy said the need is often bigger than the clinic itself, pointing to how basic hygiene items are treated in some homes.
“When we go to check out, the children get a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss from Colgate, which is great, but we started hearing them say, ‘Is that for me?’ And we said, ‘Of course it’s for you.’
And then say, ‘Well, I’ve never had one of these before’,” McCarthy said. “Or… they say well, I’ve always shared that with my brother and sister.
They have one toothbrush for 2, 3, 4 children in the house.”
Chiefs defensive end Ashton Gillotte spent part of practice break time helping keep kids distracted while they were in the chair. He said he knows what that fear feels like firsthand.
“Half of my teeth are fake. I smashed them out.
So, I was really, really scared,” Gillotte said. “So just keeping kids mind off it, it’s not as scary as you think and it’s actually just going to help you.”
Busch said the long-term aim is to bring this kind of clinic to every state. Right now, TeamSmile says it has programs in more than 35 states.
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