We are proud to have a partnership with Special Olympics International. We support athletes by providing care and education on maintaining good oral hygiene. We achieve this by volunteering at events nationwide and advocating for inclusivity.
Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). These events offer opportunities for athletes to develop physical fitness, experience joy, demonstrate courage, and share their skills and friendships with their families, other athletes, and the community.
Increasing Access to Oral Care
Special Olympics is also the largest global public health organization serving people with intellectual disabilities. The organization helps 200 million people worldwide who suffer from chronic pain and disease, vision and hearing loss, and other serious health conditions.
Our role is to make oral healthcare accessible for Special Olympics athletes. We educate them and their caregivers about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene at home and visiting the dentist at least twice a year.
For example, we developed “A Caregiver’s Guide to Good Oral Health for Special Olympics Athletes.” This take-home guide provides critical oral health information regarding different dental health issues and treatments and practical advice to help caregivers maintain their athletes' oral health throughout the year. A PDF is also available online in digital form in their website's Special Olympics Resources section.
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® Special Smiles Program
Oral health is crucial to every athlete's ability to train and compete, including Special Olympics athletes, who often face greater health risks. Moreover, individuals with intellectual disabilities also face challenges with their oral health because of limited access to community health services and interventions.
The Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® program has information and provides health services and information to athletes in urgent need. As part of that program, Smile Generation partners with Special Olympics International to raise funds for Special Smiles, which provides comprehensive oral healthcare information to participating Special Olympics athletes.
Smile Generation-trusted dentists and clinicians also connect with Special Olympics athletes and patients with intellectual disabilities to deliver life-changing dental care. The Smile Generation is also working to raise awareness in the dental community of oral health concerns of people with special needs, including difficulties in accessing dental care.
Volunteering at Special Olympics World Games
We proudly support Special Olympics and the programs that serve their athletes.
We show support by raising funding for these athletes and providing life-changing oral health care for people who need it but don’t always have access to it.
We also have a long history of supporting Special Olympics events. Smile Generation has volunteered at events for almost a decade.
For example, with volunteers from Smile Generation-trusted dental offices across Southern California, the Pacific Dental Services Serve Foundation provided many athletes with much-needed dental treatment during the Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles. Athletes from 186 countries competed in Los Angeles, many from areas with little to no access to dental care.
The Healthy Athletes Special Smiles Program screened 2,768 athletes, providing oral hygiene instructions and fluoride varnish. Meanwhile, Smile Generation–trusted dentists and their clinical teams, with help from University of Southern California dental students, also delivered onsite dental treatment for athletes. Throughout the eight days, Smile Generation-trusted clinicians served 234 athletes.
These numbers only tell part of the story. Athletes, coaches, family members, and other volunteers were smiling throughout the USC campus. There were high fives for medals won and hugs for athletes scared or nervous about their dental treatment. We made friends from all over the world. These amazing athletes have left an indelible mark on our hearts.
Today, our teams continue to support Special Olympics events in their communities. We look forward to continuing our efforts to provide convenient access to care and teach athletes and their caregivers the importance of maintaining their oral health in the years to come.
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