Kids in Need of Dentistry provides dental care, education to thousands of Denver children
Kids in Need of Dentistry works with thousands of metro Denver children and families to remove barriers that prevent them from taking good care of their teeth — even the ones that will fall out in a few years.
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On any given day, there’s a good chance you can walk into a metro Denver school and find Kids in Need of Dentistry staff providing free dental care and teaching children how to take care of their teeth — even the ones that will fall out in a few years.
For more than 100 years, KIND has worked with local children and families to remove barriers to oral health care. The organization provides dental care to nearly 6,000 kids annually, including free dental screenings and fluoride and molar treatments at more than 100 Denver-area schools through the Chopper Topper program.
The organization also serves around 700 children as regular patients at two oral health care centers, providing care to uninsured and low-income families at steep discounts.
“What we’re trying to do here is build a lifetime of good oral health habits,” said Erin Breen, director of development at KIND. “It’s not just about that visit or about collecting fees. Every appointment is an opportunity to get that little life on a good path for health.”
Dental health is often one of the first things to get pushed aside when finances prevent families from getting health care, said Lisa Phillips, KIND board chair and a pediatric dentist in Westminster.
“What KIND is doing is creating this culture of dental education with families who may not believe they could do that for their kids,” Phillips said.
KIND, which is a recipient of a Denver Post Season To Share grant, aims to bring oral health care back to the forefront and tackle common misconceptions about dental health in kids, Breen said.
“Some people think because it’s just baby teeth and they’ll fall out, they don’t need to be taken care of,” Breen said. “People often have so many barriers and things to navigate, it’s something they tell themselves so they don’t have to worry about it.”
But neglected teeth impact health at any age, and cavities in baby teeth can still rot into the bone, Breen said.
“Trust and education is what we’re trying to do, and it’s a slow build,” she said. “There are a lot of one-on-one conversations. It’s not a quick turnover to get folks in, it’s an investment of our time to get some kids in the door but that’s what we’re here for and that’s all we want to do.”
Another way of connecting with people happens through the KIND Hearts Promatora program, which helps folks become a bridge between KIND and their community through one-off education, feedback and leadership sessions or longer apprenticeships. Promotoras interact with around 3,000 community members every year.
The apprentice program, which started in June, includes seven people training as dental assistants, community health care workers and clinic employees.
“The community we serve is wary of doctors and dentists — anywhere where they might have to present paperwork,” Breen said. “(With Promotoras) there’s no gotcha involved, they just want to help the kids. It’s a really critical component for us to reach families.”
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Kids in Need of Dentistry
Address: 7190 Colorado Blvd., Commerce City
In operation since: 1912
Number of employees: 21
Number of volunteers: variable, as needed
Annual budget: $1.7 million
Number of clients served: 9,456
