Nearly 100 UTD students gathered April 19 at Exall Park in Dallas to celebrate the culmination of six months of fundraising for A&M Dentistry’s Social Services Dental Fund, which assists patients who’ve run out of money before their treatments are finished in the dental clinics. Through a combination of campus bake and craft sales at UTD’s student union and outreach to businesses, including area dental offices, the predental students surpassed the initial $10,000 goal and exceeded the association’s previous record of more than $20,000 set in 2024.
About 30 businesses provided money or raffle items for the cause, said Emily Tran, the association’s media coordinator. Canyon Creek Family Dentistry, Murphy Dental and Implant Center, Blue Ocean Capital, FunBookShelf, Premier Health Chiropractic & Wellness, Badger Studios, Smile Design Dental and the University of North Texas’ Pre-Dental Society were top sponsors.
“Every year, we are passionate and motivated to make a dental difference in our Dallas-Fort Worth community, improving oral health for all,” Tran said. “We wanted to give back to our community, and it’s amazing to reflect on the impact we can have when we work together.”
The association has supported the fund since 2008. The money raised closes financial gaps and ensures dental students can complete patients’ essential treatment needs, said Tony Keller, program coordinator in public health sciences at A&M Dentistry, who attended Miles for Smiles festivities. A&M Dentistry has served patients in North Texas for 120 years and offers oral health care at discounted rates in its clinics. To serve more patients, the college recently dropped dental care deposit fees for adults.