Dentistry Volunteers Provide Care at Special Olympics Event

About 2,400 Special Olympics athletes traveled to Ohio State’s campus for the Special Olympics Ohio Summer Games held June 13-15.

A total of 58 volunteers from the College of Dentistry stood ready to greet the athletes and provide oral health screenings. They included faculty, DDS students, and dental hygiene students from the college and Columbus State Community College, as well as several local dentists. Led by Beth Chartier, Assistant Professor-Clinical in the Division of Dental Hygiene, the volunteers gathered at the College of Public Health and the Jesse Owens Recreation Center to provide oral health screenings, fluoride varnish, and oral health education to more than 500 athletes.

"I’m grateful for the hard work of the volunteers who gave their time and energy to this event. I can’t overstate the importance of these efforts that help to meet the oral healthcare needs of people with intellectual disabilities.” Ms. Chartier said. “We piloted an additional site this year so several volunteers also provided screenings, varnish, and oral health education at the Jesse Owens complex.”

She added, “A special word of thanks goes to everyone who worked at the event and to those who made key efforts – Dr. Stephen Beetstra, Director of Ohio State’s Nisonger Center; Taryn Zwissler, President of the Special Care Dentistry Association student organization; and Dr. James Cottle, Director of the college’s Office of Community Education. They were incredibly helpful in recruiting volunteers and working throughout the day, and they made an impact on this important work that yields great benefits.”