On May 23rd, members from the American Association of Women Dentists at Tufts teamed up with high school students from Ursuline Academy and Maureen Favorito of Smart Smiles to promote oral health at the Women’s Lunch Place.
Annabelle, Lobna & Brooke’s Ursuline Academy Project
When we asked high school seniors Annabelle Garrity, Lobna Yussef, and Brooke Mercuri about their capstone project they told us: “Our school encourages students to do 110 hours of community service before we graduate. My classmates and I decided to set up health days for the Women’s Lunch Place. We brought in audiologists, optometrists and dentists for the women to see. The volunteers we brought in did screenings and checked for future possible complications. We had a great time getting to know and work with a great group of women and are grateful for this opportunity.”
Women’s Lunch Place
“Women’s Lunch Place (WLP) was started in November 1982 by friends Eileen Reilly and Jane Alexander, who saw there was a need among women who were homeless for a safe place to go during the day.” Today WLP continues to stay “true to the vision of its founders” and “treats vulnerable women with dignity, and empowers them to pursue their dreams.”
Our Tufts AAWD Experiences
Volunteering at the Women’s Lunch Place was a humbling experience for AAWD members Melody Chou (D19), Sandy Lor (D18) and Sangita Murali (D18). Under the guidance of Maureen Favorito, RDH a public health dental hygienist with Smart Smiles, we provided oral health screenings for 13 women and gave oral hygiene instructions, toothbrushes, toothpastes, floss, and educational pamphlets to another 40 women. AAWD looks forward to providing continued support to women who visit WLP throughout the summer and upcoming academic year.
We would like to extend a hearty thank you to Annabelle, Lobna, Brooke, Katie, the organizers at WLP and Annabelle’s Mom, Stacy, who helped us with all the tasks including set-up, breakdown, gathering consent, OHI, and oral hygiene kit distribution! A word from Annabelle’s Mom to the group: “Tufts ladies, you have an amazing way with people. I have worked in health care for over 20 years and taught in health care for quite a while. You are exactly what we need more of!! You will be an overwhelming success. Thank you for all you are doing.”
