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LDAlsu school of dentistryDr. Henry GremillionDean, LSU School of DentistryI’ve had a smile on my face sincebecoming dean of the dentalschool last October. I knew I wouldbe happy to be home but I didn’tanticipate the many, many reasonsI experience on a daily basis.Some of you have asked whyI wanted to come back, especiallynow, when some of the scars andbruises from Katrina are still readilyapparent. The answer is easy: it’sthe spirit of the people and thepotential for the future of LSUSD.While it’s true that no otherschool has been through whatwe’ve been through, it’s also truethat no other school has whatwe have. The passion of ourstudents, faculty, staff and alumniinspire me. I think the commondenominator is a strongly feltsense of service and purpose.Just last week, an enthusiasticteam of dental hygiene studentsprovided screenings for adultswith disabilities living at the Magnolia School onRiver Road in New Orleans. Shortly before Christmas,a dedicated group of general practice residents andhygienists provided screenings for homeless veterans atthe New Orleans Mission.On a year-round basis we partner with Children’sHospital to provide clinical services. Pediatric clinicsat the dental school provide care to the Medicaidpopulation. Weekend community outreach events,such as the Special Olympics and Central City healthfairs, are common occurrences.During the recent Give Kids A Smile event, hundredsof school children poured into our clinics in BatonRouge, New Orleans and Alexandria. Talk abouthigh energy! They raised their hands and shouted theSmiling is a Two-Way StreetDr. Matthew Ganey screens young Abel Shields at the LSUSDclinic in New Orleans during the annual Give Kids A Smileevent. (Photo by Judy LaBorde, LSUSD)answers about the right way tobrush, floss and choose healthyfoods. Later the children werescreened and treated with sealants.There were a lot of smiles.The Give Kids A Smile eventis just seven years old and it hasgrown to be an extraordinarilysuccessful event. The idea isto devote one day to intenselyfocus on low-income children.By volunteering dental services,we not only help the child butalso put the public spotlight onthe much larger issue of access tocare. This year, 1,689 sites aroundthe country provided dental careto 458,209 low-income children.I think those statistics areimpressive. The numbers say thatcommunity service is germane tothe dental profession. As aspiringdentists, we were taught that inschool. As practicing dentists,I think it’s important to neverforget those lessons. Serving others goes to the heartof who we are as a person, the purpose of our lives,the humanitarian nature of dental care for those whocan’t afford it.If we accept that the mission of medicine is toalleviate suffering, then the next step is to help a childin pain. No dental provider can be happy that morethan 51 million school hours are lost each year todental-related illness.Even when the dental school was temporarilylocated in Baton Rouge and our future was uncertain,our students and faculty made time to volunteer theirservices for Give Kids A Smile. That’s such a goodexample of the passion and spirit that makes mehappy to be home. It also makes me especially proud20 LDA Journal