Children get free dental care as Arkansas track center becomes a pop-up clinic

Last week, eight-year-olds who had never seen a dentist before found themselves in an unusual setting: the floor of the University of Arkansas' Randall Tyson Track Center. For one day, the arena was filled with dental chairs, equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a team of volunteer dentists and hygienists. A DJ played music, face painters worked nearby, and games kept the mood light. This was TeamSmile's annual event in Fayetteville, and for many kids, it was their first real dental visit.

Children arrived at the track center, received lanyards with patient cards, and moved through a series of stations: mouth rinses, exams, X-rays, and, if needed, immediate treatment. "If they diagnose over here and they look and say, 'Geez, this child really needs some help. They've got two teeth that are rotting and they could get infected. We need to extract those teeth.' They'll literally pull the teeth here. They'll numb them up, extract their teeth right here," McCarthy explained. Fillings, pulpotomies, and extractions were all done on-site by licensed professionals volunteering their time.

The event was more than just a mobile clinic. Colgate's Anaika Forbes Grant, who manages community oral health programs, pointed out the connection between oral hygiene and overall health. Education stations taught kids how to brush and floss, but also covered hand washing, nutrition, and exercise. "We're talking to them all the way from how to wash their hands, because hand hygiene is important. It's oral hygiene. We're talking to them about how to brush their teeth, how many minutes you spend brushing their teeth. And we're also showing them the value of knowing nutrition, good foods, not-so-good foods. What's going to keep your teeth clean? What's going to keep them maybe not so healthy? And we even go through exercise with them because a healthy mouth and a healthy body makes you a healthy person."

For Dr. Jessica Sliger of Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry, volunteering at TeamSmile is personal. She first joined as a dental student and now provides free care for children whose families earn too much for Medicaid but still can't afford regular dental visits. "A lot of the kids that we see through here don't get dental treatment ever," Sliger said. Some children need complex care, including full-mouth rehabilitation or oral surgery, and TeamSmile connects them to providers willing to help, sometimes at no cost. "Last year I did a $10,000 case for free. And it was a child that had severe breakdown of all the teeth, permanent teeth."

There are still barriers-like the lack of nitrous oxide for anxious kids-but the event's upbeat atmosphere helps children feel more comfortable with dental care. Parents often ask for advice or referrals, and some admit they haven't seen a dentist in years. TeamSmile's work reaches beyond the children, connecting families to resources and local providers in Northwest Arkansas.

The TeamSmile model is growing, with plans to involve more dental professionals and dental students from Lyon College School of Dental Medicine in the future. The event's mix of urgent care, education, and community outreach is already changing how children experience the dentist. As Dr. Sliger put it, "No one likes going to the dentist. I'm a dentist and I don't like going to the dentist. I mean, that is a common complaint. It smells weird, sensory-wise. Having someone's gloves, having a grown-up you don't know have their hands in your mouth. It's very invasive. And by this being some of these kids' very first dental experience, if it can be fun and joyful and not so scary, fantastic."

Turning a sports arena into a dental clinic shows what's possible when dental care meets kids where they are. TeamSmile's approach-mixing clinical care with play and education-offers a way to close access gaps and build trust in oral health from the start. For many children, their first dental visit happened in a place filled with music, games, and people who cared. That experience may shape how they see dental care for years to come.