Creating Smiles Beyond the Fairways
By Seth Fassano
GALLOWAY, N.J. - On Friday at the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern, Team Smile, in partnership with Colgate, brought smiles to kids in need of dental care.
Roughly 200 kids packed the Seaview Ballroom to be cared for by 150 volunteers for cleanings, cavity work, and other major procedures, all at no cost to the patients.
Team Smile provides children across New Jersey with a unique and fun dental experience. The ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern is proud to partner with Team Smile in offering free dental care for kids in need. This is especially impactful given that nearly one in four children in the United States lack access to dental care due to financial barriers.
ShopRite, Wakefern, and Team Smile look to chip away at that number, one cleaning at a time, according to the Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility for Wakefern, Alexandra Emery.
“Team Smile makes this a huge party,” Emery said. “Kids can be nervous about getting dental care. With us, you don’t hear a drill; you don’t hear any equipment. Just music, and laughter.”
“At ShopRite and Wakefern, we do a tremendous amount of giving to communities. We have a whole bunch of things coming up surrounding big initiatives, and with America 250 coming up. We’re really excited to keep these kinds of events going.”
Dr Bill Busch and Jason Kraus founded Team Smile in 2007, with the original pitch of the mission going to the Kansas City Chiefs. There was one problem: they were without the equipment needed to make Team Smile the organization it is today.
The two turned to Henry Schein, the nation’s largest dental equipment distributor. Now 19 years later, Team Smile takes its services around the country to various professional sports teams and leagues, including the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
What inspired Team Smile to expand and grow their mission was the unfortunate passing of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver, who passed away due to an untreated tooth infection that spread to his brain. The passing of Driver brought a lot of attention to families and professionals around the globe on the importance of oral healthcare.
Driver’s family did not have the resources or healthcare to treat their son, and Driver’s tragic passing ignited a flame in Team Smile Executive Director John McCarthy to never let this happen to another kid ever again.
“What we learned was if you don’t care for your teeth, there can be huge ramifications,” McCarthy said. “We’ve learned since then that oral healthcare is tied to diabetes, heart health, and overall health.
“Now, we travel with $700,000 dollars’ worth of equipment and supplies, in a 53-foot semi-truck, and we don’t just do cleanings,” McCarthy continued. If a child needs a tooth extracted, a pulpotomy, or a cavity filled, we do it right here on site.”
As for children getting treated, Team Smile doesn’t stop at just their events. Team Smile sends kids home with all the oral health essentials, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and the knowledge of how to care for their teeth. Additionally, Dental Home Director Erica Hill connects children to one of 123 dental offices in America that will serve them for free or take their Medicaid coverage.
After the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern tournament Team Smile will pack up and head to Kansas City, where they aim to rapidly expand their outreach by 2028.
“We’re tripling team smile from 2023 to 2028,” McCarthy said. “We’re also dipping our toes in serving those with developmental disabilities. We want to triple the number of children we serve and give triple the care in terms of dollar value.”
