The School of Dentistry shows its dedication to caring for children in many ways, including through its pediatric clinic facilities and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Student Club. For the holidays each year, the club gives back to the community by adopting a family through the Salvation Army.

This recent holiday season, Mittens the Snowman was set up in the pediatric clinic area and held tags bearing gift ideas for the adopted family. Students, faculty and friends recruited by the club took the tags and bought the gifts, making for happy holidays for the chosen family.

The club president, fourth-year DDS student Kelsey Lyden, said, “This event has been very special to our club each year. Donations are provided by faculty, students and staff from the entire dental school. It is a great way to bring all students together to support a good cause during the holidays.”

The club’s faculty mentor, Dr. Eileen Cocjin, DDS, clinical associate professor in the school’s Pediatric Dentistry Department, said she suggested the project a few years ago “because I wanted my students to do something that is not dentally related but for the community during the holiday season that would involve making children’s wishes come true.”

Dr. Cocjin added, “There is an obvious benefit to the families and children on the receiving end. I also hope that it will give the students a sense of joy and satisfaction to be able to help families who are less fortunate, one child at a time, one family at a time.”

Some photos here.