TeamSmile Gives Back

Episode #314 with John McCarthy from TeamSmile

In 2007, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver lost his life. And the cause was a treatable one — if only his mother had dental insurance. Enraged and inspired after hearing Deamonte’s story, Dr. Bill Busch created TeamSmile to provide free dental care for children in need. And today, Kirk Behrendt brings in John McCarthy from TeamSmile to share the impact and importance of dentists participating in this program. For more on why you should volunteer with TeamSmile, listen to Episode 314 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

A 12-year-old boy, Deamonte Driver, passed away from an untreated tooth infection.

Upon hearing Deamonte’s story, Dr. Bill Busch was inspired to start TeamSmile.

TeamSmile’s core is to provide free dental care for children in need through the power of sports.

The TeamSmile model doesn't work without volunteers!

These programs provide life-changing services and can also save lives.

Quotes:

“The mission of TeamSmile is to provide a life-changing dental experience through the power of sports. In a nutshell, what we do is we throw dental tailgate parties. We go into communities such as Milwaukee and we set up in a baseball stadium. We work with the Brewers. We work in Kansas City with the Chiefs, the Royals, in supporting KC. But we’re at the point now where we are truly national. We’re working in Fenway Park with the Boston Red Sox, and we’re in California with the Angels and the Rams, and so on. So, we’re literally coast to coast, north to south.” (05:34—06:08)

“Prior to the pandemic, we conducted 33 programs in one calendar year, impacted 7,126 children, and did over $2.8 million in free dental care and oral health education. But in a nutshell, we create these large dental clinics in stadiums and arenas. We literally set up about $650,000 worth of equipment and supplies while we’re in Fenway Park, while we’re in Target Stadium in Minnesota, while we’re in Arrowhead in Kansas City, and on and on. We work in New Orleans at the Superdome, and Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta — which is spectacular, by the way. But we will set up enough where we’ve got 16 dental operatories.” (06:09—06:54)

“The Deamonte Driver story, in short, was a little 12-year-old boy in the Baltimore D.C. area that had a toothache. Single mother, very little money. Had a toothache. But the mother said, ‘We can't go to the dentist because we don't have dental insurance. We don't have the money to pay for that.’ Well, it got more and more painful, and so he went to the hospital. Dr. [Bill] Busch is watching this at home in Kansas City on an NBC Nightly News special with Brian Williams. Well, [Deamonte] goes to the hospital, and the hospital doesn't have a dentist on staff. They tried to pat him on the back and do what they could for him there and sent him home. That toothache got infected. That infection spread to his brain. At 12 years old, Deamonte Driver passed away. And Dr. Busch — I talked to him a lot about this — he said, ‘I was mad. I was upset, thinking, ‘We live in the most wealthy country in the world, and we’ve got a 12-year-old boy that didn't have to die if he was treated appropriately. Could've been completely fine if he was treated. And here he is, dead.’ And he started thinking, ‘What can I do?’ (07:39—08:39)

“I think this concept was just brilliant, looking at it, because what we do is, not only do we have stadiums and arenas, but we’ve got a DJ for all of our programs, we have face painters, we bring out the players, the cheerleaders, the mascot. And so, what the intent is, is to use these stadiums and use these teams — and by that, I mean players, cheerleaders, mascots — and create an environment that is cool, that is fun, takes the fear out of dentistry. There’re a lot of children that we’re...