Our Mission: Community Smiles is a community-based, fully-accredited, non-profit dental clinic whose mission is providing oral health education and improving access to dental care for the uninsured, low-income children and families of Miami-Dade County.
Beautiful Smiles
A United Way-funded program provides access to dental health for the uninsured children and families throughout our community. Click HERE to read the article.
A Costly Dental Destination
Cost and access issues are prompting hundreds of thousands of Americans to take toothaches and other dental problems to hospital emergency rooms. Click here to read more about this Pew Center on the States report.
February 2012
Community Smiles' Volunteers Receive Miami-Dade County Health Department Awards
Community Smiles is proud to announce that the Miami-Dade County Health Department presented awards to three of our volunteer doctors, at an award ceremony held on February 23rd. Dr. Philip Glatstein received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Glatstein has volunteered in our clinic since 1955 and is retiring this year from our Volunteer Faculty in the Crown and Bridge Section. The Dentist of the Year Award went to Dr. Bruce Perlman, who volunteers with us 2-3 full days per week as Resident Instructor and volunteer dentist. An Outstanding Service Award was presented to Dr. Shari Witkoff, for her service as a volunteer and President of the Board of Directors.
February 2012
Community Smiles Receives $100,000 Grant to Improve Access to Dental Care for the Uninsured and Underserved
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Foundation awarded Community Smiles a $100,000 grant to help facilitate oral health care services to low-income, uninsured residents of South Florida. The funds will be used to provide free, high-quality dental services to an additional 1,000 uninsured adults through the expansion of our continuing education and training program.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc., is the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. The mission of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation is to improve the health and well-being of Floridians and their communities. The Foundation will accomplish its mission through strategic grant-making in five focus areas: improving access to health care, consumer health, quality and safety of patient care, quality of life and the health care system
To read the press release, click here.
February 2012
Give Kids A Smile
On Friday, February 10, 2012, Community Smiles will host its 7th annual "Give Kids A Smile" event. The event is part of the American Dental Association's effort to advocate for increased access to oral health care for low-income chidlren nationwide. An estimated 80-100 children from local low-income families will receive free dental services at our clinic. Services will range from screenings and cleanings to oral health instruction on proper brushing and prevention of gum disease. To read the press release, click HERE.
February 2012
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, Community Smiles participated in the Norwood Elementary Community Health & Education Fair. Our volunteer dentists provided screenings and handed out oral hygiene kits to 80-100 members of the community. The event was held at the Norwood Elementary School.
January 2012
Community Smiles Receives $50,000 Grant to Improve Access to Dental Care for the Uninsured and Underserved
Allegany Franciscan Ministries awarded Community Smiles a $50,000 grant to help facilitate oral health care services to low-income, uninsured residents of Miami-Dade County. The funds will be used to help deliver additional oral health care to children and families in need, by purchasing much-needed dental supplies and lab materials and increasing clinical staffing.
Allegany Franciscan Ministries is a non-profit Catholic organization focused on improving the overall health status of individuals through increasing access to health services and information. Allegany Franciscan Ministries strives to be a catalyst for systemic change, committing resources and working collaboratively to promote physical, mental, spiritual, societal and cultural health and well-being.
October 2011
Community Smiles Joins the Florida Association of Free Clinics (FAFC)
The FAFC’s mission is to provide support, mentoring, networking opportunities, and advocacy through a network that initiates collaboration and the sharing of best practices to improve access to healthcare for the uninsured in the state of Florida.
In addition to advocacy, FAFC offers educational and networking, capacity building and research benefits. For Community Smiles, this means an additional help to increase our clinic’s capacity to treat more patients. FAFC delivers technical assistance and consultation to develop and strengthen free clinics, provides notifications of grant funding and other resource opportunities, facilitates access to donated and discounted pharmaceutical, medical, and dental supplies and products, and promotes volunteer workforce expansion and community spirit.
October 2011
Community Smiles was featured on Groupon!
We want to thank everyone who supported our campaign! Through the G-Team campaign, Community Smiles received 49 donations, which will enable us to provide access to dental care for children in need. A special thanks to Dr. Elaine deRoode for being a matching donor for this project.
September 2011
Call for volunteers!
Community Smiles is in need of volunteers! Dental assistants, hygienists, students and dentists are all welcome to volunteer at our clinic. This is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community and to gain valuable experience in multiple specialty clinics. To learn more, click HERE.
September 2011 - Find us on Facebook! 
August 2011
Community Smiles Participates in the "Safe Summer 2011" Community Outreach Event
On Saturday, August 20th, 2011, in partnership with the City of Miami Police Department, Community Smiles participated in the "Safe Summer 2011" event, which provided backpacks, school supplies, vision exams and dental screenings for over 2,000 children in Miami. Community Smiles volunteer dentists were able to screen over 400 children with unmet oral health needs on this particular day.
June 2011
Community Smiles Hosts the Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner
The volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants, who provide service to our community on a daily basis, were recognized at our annual event, held at Jungle Island, in Miami. This year we recognized three special volunteers, Dr's Al Underwood, Robert Shippee, and Michael Krop, who have served our community for fifty years! They join six other Community Smiles' Dentists who have volunteered in our clinic for over fifty years. In addition to these volunteers, Community Smiles also recognized: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Patterson Dental, and the Health Foundation of South Florida. They were recognized for providing valuable support to Community Smiles in helping us accomplish our mission.
June 2011
Community Smiles Receives $50,000 Grant to Improve Access to Dental Care for the Uninsured and Underserved
Health Foundation of South Florida awarded Community Smiles a $50,000 grant to help facilitate oral health care services to low-income, uninsured residents of South Florida. The funds will be used to help deliver additional oral health care to individuals in need through increasing clinical staffing.
Health Foundation of South Florida, a nonprofit grant making organization, is dedicated to improving health in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. By funding providers and supporting programs to promote health and prevent disease, the Foundation makes a measurable and sustainable impact in ensuring access to affordable, quality health services for all residents, especially the underserved.
Dr. Irwin Becker, Accomplished Dentist, Scholar, and Educator Joins Community Smiles Faculty
Community Smiles has the very good fortune to be welcoming another esteemed doctor to our faculty and clinic, Dr. Irwin Becker. Dr. Becker began volunteering and assumed the Faculty Chairman position for the Comprehensive Prosthetics clinic section early this year. He lectures and practices in Prosthetics once a month.
Dr. Becker is a renowned restorative dentist, international lecturer and widely published scholar. He brings an exceptional breadth of knowledge and expertise in the field of dentistry to our Residency Program and our community clinic. Dr. Becker frequently offers lectures and workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad, and is founder of Irwin Becker Initiatives, a consulting practice for advancing dentists and dental offices. His most recent publishing effort is the Comprehensive Occlusal Concepts in Clinical Practice, released in December 2010.
Saturday March 12th, 2011 - A Tribute to Our Dear Friend, Ana Gomez
1972-2011
Community Smiles Resident Dentist
2009-2011
Dear Community Smiles Family:
In March, Community Smiles resident Ana Gomez fought to survive grave injuries suffered in an auto accident. The doctors tell us that Ana fought as hard as she could. In the end, her injuries were simply more than Ana and her doctors could overcome. On the evening of March 11th, Ana's family gathered by her side and said their final goodbyes.
For all of us, Ana's extended family at Community Smiles, this is a painful loss too. Even amidst this tragedy and these trying times, though, I have seen the very best of our Community Smiles family. Our staff, residents, and volunteer doctors have spent countless hours at the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, lent their efforts to see that Ana's family has had continuous support throughout, and supported each other with love and generosity of spirit. Over the several days I spent at the hospital I had a chance to share with Ana's family the many stories and anecdotes you've shared with me about your times with Ana. I want you to know those wonderful memories were of comfort to her family.
Ana's father, her sister Elizabeth and Elizabeth's husband Jose, her cousins and other family asked me to thank all of you for your support of them through this incredibly difficult time.
Ana's funeral service was held on Saturday, March 12th at the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables.
With deepest sympathies for her family,
Shari Witkoff
President
Community Smiles Board of Directors
|
Welcome to CommunitySmiles.org
