GSDM Celebrates Ninth Year Volunteering at Countdown to Kindergarten

For the ninth consecutive year, volunteers from the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) participated in Boston Public School’s annual Countdown to Kindergarten Citywide Celebration. This year’s event was held on August 28, 2012, at the Boston Children’s Museum.

Countdown to Kindergarten engages families as their children transition to kindergarten, providing information about community resources, early learning opportunities, and answers to outstanding questions about school. During this year’s event, children had the opportunity to tour the museum exhibits, climb onto real buses, and meet Mayor Thomas Menino and Superintendent of Boston Schools Dr. Carol R. Johnson.

Organized by GSDM members of the American Student Dental Association and Community Health Programs, 29 volunteers provided dental screenings as well as hands-on, interactive activities promoting oral health to the children and their families. Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri and Clinical Instructor of Health Policy & Health Services Research Ana Keohane volunteered alongside the students.

GSDM’s caries-fighting superhero Captain Cavity Fighter also made an appearance. Once again, the GSDM faculty and students successfully provided crucial assistance and dental health education to the local community at Boston’s Countdown to Kindergarten.

Student volunteers included Assal Abdossalehi DMD 16, Britney Barrow DMD 14, Ella Botchevar DMD 14, Kimoyi Cho DMD 14, Alexandra Costa DMD 14, Shelby Curtis DMD 16, Marina Gonchar DMD 14, Erik Harriman DMD 14, Ben Irzyk DMD 14, Courtney Knapik DMD 16, Anna Komnatnaya DMD 16, Andrea Lam DMD 16, James Lee DMD 14, Jenny Lorenzo DMD 13, Rachel Lukas DMD 13, Keely Matheson DMD 15, Tam Nguyen DMD 13, Maidelys Oliva DMD 14, Fransheska Ovalles DMD 13, Ryan Pasiewicz DMD 15, Elizabeth Ponder DMD 13, Drew Popper DMD 14, Hasti Sabbaghan DMD 16, Neelam Shah DMD 14, Delsaz Sultan AS 13, Delphine Suyoung Jeong DMD 15, Raquel Valido DMD 14, Karina Vergara DMD 14, and Alana Yip DMD 14.

Photos of the event can be found on Facebook and Flickr.