Page 7 - America's ToothFairy 2024 Impact

Ready, Set, Smile Minneapolis, MN
Ready, Set, Smile (RSS) is transforming oral health access for children in urban Minneapolis through its dedicated outreach and educational programs, made possible with the support of America’s ToothFairy. This partnership has been crucial in helping RSS serve uninsured kids—50% of their patients this year had no dental coverage, a significant increase from previous years. 90% of the patients RSS see are living at or below the federal poverty level.
With resources from America’s ToothFairy, kids can get essentials like a toothbrush and toothpaste to take home, enabling them to practice the daily dental hygiene habits needed to prevent dental disease. A recent encounter with a young program participant underscored the impact of these donations. Little Valentina didn’t have a toothbrush at home and was eager to begin brushing once she received one through RSS.
RSS addresses various challenges their young patients face, including barriers lack of insurance. By providing free, minimally invasive dental care in schools, they ensure that financial hardship and lack of transportation doesn’t prevent kids from receiving care. In cases that require more extensive treatment, RSS connects families to partner clinics that offer affordable, culturally
competent services, helping them establish a reliable “dental home” for ongoing care.
Education is a fundamental part of RSS’s mission. Their curriculum goes beyond basic hygiene to cover essential health topics like the effects of sugar, fluoride benefits, tap water safety, and the risks of vaping. RSS’s culturally rooted Community Health Workers regularly participate in outreach events, connecting with families to provide oral health education, register children for dental services, and distribute helpful materials like brushing charts and coloring books.
Oral Health Action Hero education resource kits from America’s ToothFairy helped RSS increase their education impact by more than 126% over the previous year. Outreach activities like these helped them identify 52% more kids in need of clinical services.
With services in 44 schools across Minneapolis, RSS is growing quickly as more schools request their programs each year. At this crucial point in their expansion, they remain committed to their mission: empowering children to take charge of their oral health and laying the foundation for healthier futures.
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