Park Dental Partners with the Minnesota Vikings and TeamSmile to Provide Dental Care to Children in Need
October 15, 2021On Tuesday, October 5th U.S. Bank Stadium wasn’t just a football stadium, the Delta Sky 360° Club was transformed into a dental clinic. 300-plus children received the full treatment – an exam with a dentist, x-rays, a cleaning with a hygienist and education on the importance of good oral health. And it was all completely free!
The dental treatment wasn’t the only part of the kids’ visit. They were treated to arts and crafts, a visit by Viktor the Viking, plus the chance to run around and play catch on the field just like the pros. In fact, they even got to meet a few of the players. Vikings wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, linebacker Troy Dye and safety Camryn Bynum all stopped by to hang out with the children.
Over the course of the day, forty five Park Dental doctors and team members along with other volunteers provided nearly $80,000 in free dental care to 300 children from underserved communities. “This was a unique opportunity for us to provide care to kids who may otherwise have gone without,” said Park Dental President Dr. Christopher Steele. “Working with TeamSmile and the Vikings has been great. They took care of all the logistics and setup and our doctors and team members were able to jump right in and start providing care,” Steele continued.
TeamSmile is a national advocacy group that partners oral health professionals with professional athletic organizations to provide life-changing dental care and instruction to children in communities who otherwise would not have access to it. TeamSmile believes education is key in making children aware of how important dental care is to their over-all health both now and into their future.
“There is a huge need for dental care in our community,” Steele added. “We’re always looking for ways to give back and we hope to continue this partnership for years to come.”
To see a video of the event, visit the Minnesota Vikings Website.
To learn more about TeamSmile visit, teamsmile.org.