Interview with Jill Malmgren
Photography by: TBD by Jordan
Everyone goes to the dentist, right? Unfortunately, that’s not a reality for millions of people. America’s ToothFairy aims to fill that gap by providing resources and education where they’re needed most. Jill Malmgren, the nonprofit’s executive director, discusses how they go about it.
How did America’s ToothFairy begin?
America’s ToothFairy was founded in 2006 to account for the huge disparities in oral health care, especially for children, and how we can manage that to positively impact their lives and ability to thrive. We looked at all the nonprofit clinics across the country, and this was our opportunity to help support them and provide the resources they need.
In what ways do you help alleviate this problem?
Right now, budgets for nonprofit clinics are tight. So things we take for granted, like going to the dentist and getting our little bag with toothpaste, floss, and a toothbrush, become luxuries, even for nonprofit clinics. So being able to provide those things so clinics can distribute them is vital. Also, we offer support through educational materials and training. In addition to working with nonprofit dental clinics across the country, we help other organizations like shelters and food pantries.
By working for a national nonprofit that operates virtually, were you better prepared to continue providing resources when COVID-19 hit?
Each year, we help impact the lives of about 600,000 children and typically educate about 200,000 to 250,000 parents and caregivers. We have volunteers and clinics participating in our programs across the country who are used to dealing with virtual interaction, but it had a huge impact on how we worked with our partners. The challenge was how we could continue serving people when clinics were closed or had limited staffing or hours. Many of our clinics partners got creative: they worked with food pantries or other organizations in their community or offered drive-through options.
Would you elaborate on how poor dental health can affect children?
The most alarming statistic is that one in five kids is suffering from untreated tooth decay. And that’s something that can compromise the body. Early prevention is key, but we need to make sure we’re giving families not only the resources but also access to the dental clinics and practices for the care they need.
For many people, this isn’t just about teeth. When you think about how much you use your smile, whether it’s to say hello or have a conversation or do an interview, it shows how much of a difference it makes. This is especially true for kids. A child with poor oral health may be very timid or reclusive, and they won’t participate in class discussions or engage socially. They may even be ridiculed. Plus, if they’re in pain or have difficulties eating, that can really impact their ability to get proper nutrition. Having healthy teeth makes it easier to talk and smile!
What I’ve found from talking to kids in the five-to-eight-year age range is heartbreaking. In some of our outreach, we provide them with a toy and an oral care kit they can take home. Too often, these kids will come to us and say, “If I give you my toy back, can I have a kit to take home to my brother, my sister, my dad, or my mom?” It’s so easy for us to take for granted that a toothbrush is something we have in our homes. But it’s not as common as it should be. Many people don’t have one in their home, or there’s just one toothbrush for a whole family to share. What is so empowering, though, is the power of education. When we teach parents and kids about how important it is to take care of their oral health, they get it.
Would you say education is a major stumbling block to solving this problem?
Definitely. America’s ToothFairy always talks about the mouth being the gateway to the body. So if things are happening in the mouth, it’s a good indicator of what else might be happening in the body. The mouth is the gateway to the body. If your mouth is not healthy, then that can lead to serious oral health issues and other problems in your body. We need to look at it a little differently because oral health needs to be raised to the forefront.
What’s a little-known aspect of oral health that people should know more about?
The lack of value of baby teeth and understanding how important they are. That’s one of the things we focus on with pregnant moms and mothers of infants. Baby teeth not only serve as placeholders for permanent teeth but also help children develop good habits. The opportunities for infection in baby teeth can cause damage to permanent teeth.
Does poor oral health disproportionately affect underserved people?
Yes, in both urban and rural communities. There is a dental health professional shortage across the country in these areas, so you might have counties that don’t have dental health professionals to serve their communities, and especially those who are underserved. That is a big problem. We need to ensure our dental professionals are well equipped and able to serve these populations. In many of these communities, they don’t have the financial resources or access to dental clinics, stores with healthy foods or public transportation, which creates insurmountable barriers to living healthy and receiving regular dental care.
We have a program called In the Gap that is geared toward covering extraneous expenses that wouldn’t be covered under insurance or for which a family can’t afford, like transportation or specialist services. What I’ve found when interacting with parents is the majority care about their kids and want them to have good oral health, but they are facing some overwhelming obstacles. When you’re dealing with families that are worried about basic things like food and shelter, getting an appointment or taking time off from work isn’t always a top priority. What I often see is that the will is there, but the resources are not.
What is your Smile Drive?
It’s like a food collection drive for oral-care products that are sent to organizations in the community. Smile Drive was started for National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, but because some organizations, such as afterschool programs and food pantries, have discovered that oral-care products are a major need for the populations they serve. Understanding that this need isn’t limited to one specific time of year, we decided to expand it to year-round. To date, we’ve distributed over two million products through that campaign.
You’ve been with America’s ToothFairy since its inception. What keeps you going?
It’s amazing to me that so many of the children we serve are experiencing pain every day. At least four million kids in the country don’t have the luxury of dental care. We know the solution, we can fix this, and we can prevent it from happening in the future in a cost-effective way. The answer is dedicating funds and resources to making sure we connect families with dental facilities and provide education and products they need to take care of their teeth in their homes. That’s why I’ve been at it for so long—because I see hope. And because every child deserves a healthy smile!
For more info, visit americastoothfairy.org or smiledrive.org
