Dear Friend,

Thank you for being part of the KinderSmile Foundation village. With much gratitude, we celebrated our 19th National Children's Dental Health Month in February.

As a leading nonprofit organization with a mission to provide underserved communities in New Jersey with access to oral health care, we open the doors to all patients starting at age zero or the eruption of the first tooth, regardless of means, insurance coverage, or immigration status.

We continue to need your support to amplify the stories of our patients, raise awareness about oral health as an essential part of primary care, and advocate for a change in the landscape of access to oral health care in our Garden State.

We are truly grateful to YOU, our donors, grantors, volunteers, and friends for being part of the KinderSmile Foundation village. Together, we can ensure that every family has access to a dentist and preventable dental diseases are eradicated. Your continued support and generosity pave the pathways to our strength! #ItTakesAVillage

Blessings,

Nicole McGrath-Barnes, DDS, FACD

Founder & CEO

Michal Herman, DDS, FACD

COO

The Latest from KinderSmile Foundation

Give Kids A Smile Month

KinderSmile Foundation honored its 19th annual Give Kids a Smile event throughout the entire month of February, providing free preventive care services to all uninsured children aged 0-13.

We launched the celebration at all three Dental Homes, KinderSmile Community Oral Health Centers Bloomfield, Newark, and Trenton, welcoming children, providing care, and spreading smiles throughout the state.

What Give Kids a Smile Day does nationally, is what we do 365 days a year through KinderSmile Foundation's mission, of providing underserved children and their families access to comprehensive dental care and educating about the importance of dental hygiene. What sets our program apart is that KinderSmile Foundation provides continuity of care through a crucial link to a brick and mortar Dental Home to all children seen on Give Kids a Smile month and always.

A special note of appreciation to our incredible team, sponsors, Give Back a Smile volunteers, Community Service Learning Program volunteers, Delta Dental volunteers, and representatives from Horizon NJ Health, Aetna Better Health, and Fidelis Care, Liberty Dental Plan, who visited our Dental Homes to help families navigate the Medicaid application process.

Thank you all for making an impact on the community!

Advocacy Efforts Honoring National Children's Dental Health Month

New Jersey has a new administration, and KinderSmile Foundation is pressing forward with advocacy efforts, to ensure that the voices of the community are heard.

National Children’s Dental Health Month was an opportunity to raise awareness of the need to prioritize oral health as an essential part of overall health, in practice and at the policy level.

KinderSmile Foundation is a leading nonprofit organization promoting public health dentistry in New Jersey. Our executive leadership team prepared and presented an updated Roadmap to Improving the Oral Health Care Crisis in New Jersey to Governor Sherrill’s team.

With our village, we had a presence in the State House, and interacted with our Legislative Oral Health Champions. We provided information, raised awareness, and gained the support of new Champions on behalf of marginalized communities that deserve equitable access to care.

We recognize Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblywoman Morales, Senator McKnight, Senator Turner, Assemblyman Venezia, Senator Burgess, and Senator Zwicker. Thank you for helping us make oral health a priority! Your unwavering support will help us leave a legacy of lasting change!

Medical Dental Integration Initiatives

Oral health is the gateway to overall health, and is directly linked to systemic wellbeing.

• We are excited to embark on KinderSmile Foundation’s new initiative of Medical-Dental Integration, in partnership with Mobile Lab Techs. On a quarterly basis at each of our three Dental Homes, we are inviting the community at large to have FREE A1c and blood pressure screenings, along with comprehensive nutritional education and guidance.

The immense efforts of our Community Health Workers ensure a link to a Medical Home and follow up care for all participants.

• A new partnership with Cherry Hill Free Clinic and Dr. Jubril Oyeyemi provides a link to a Dental Home to uninsured patients who lack access to care.

These collaborations are steps towards improving the wellbeing of our most vulnerable communities, as we call for the prioritization of oral health as an essential part of primary care.

Community Service Learning Program Scholarship Fund

KinderSmile Foundation’s 3rd Annual CSLP Scholarship Program has opened for applications, to support our Community Service Learning Program student volunteers who have a passion for service, and a commitment to pursuing a career in Public Health Dentistry.

To leave a legacy of expanded access to care, this year we are introducing a two-tiered scholarship program:

• KinderSmile Foundation’s ROOT Scholarship cultivates a community-serving dental workforce. The word ROOT represents our commitment to grounding students in the profession, encouraging them to establish roots within public health dentistry.

This award recognizes pre-dental students who have shown dedication to underserved communities, and a passion to join Public Health Dentistry.

• KinderSmile Foundation’s CUSP Scholarship represents our commitment to helping underrepresented students reach the next stage of their journey into dentistry. Black and Hispanic dentists make up only 3.8% and 6% of the profession in the United States respectively, nearly unchanged in decades.

KinderSmile Foundation is dedicated to uplifting our Black and Hispanic Community Service Learning Program student volunteers by providing early exposure, mentorship, and resources needed to achieve their goals and advance within the profession.

The CUSP Scholarship provides financial contribution towards their application process, nurturing a workforce led by the next generation of dentists standing at the CUSP of lasting change.

Donate to KSF's CSLP Scholarship Fund!

Please join our efforts of changing the landscape of access to oral health care in New Jersey by supporting KinderSmile Foundation.

It truly takes a village!

Donate a Healthy Smile!

Join our list of CROWN donors,

and make a recurring monthly gift for a sustainable impact!

Your tax-deductible donation has a direct lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of every child and adult served at our Dental Homes and through our programs.

Legacy Giving

To learn more about donations of stock or planned giving, please email

Trevor McPherson.