Giving seniors a reason to smile: Connecting older adults to essential dental care

When 77-year-old Annie Lamott walked into UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry for the inaugural Give Seniors a Smile event, she did not expect the experience to be so moving.

“I can’t even think of the words,” says Annie, a retired postal worker who stays active by dancing as often as possible. “It’s a tearjerker. It’s just wonderful. I’ve never received anything like it, and everybody here was so friendly and personable.”

Annie was one of 110 seniors who received free dental care during the special community outreach event in 2025. In just one day, students, residents, faculty, and staff provided 545 treatments valued at more than $56,000.

“What began as an idea to honor and care for the seniors in our community became a reality through our inaugural Give Seniors a Smile event,” says Raha Naderi, MEd, RDH, Director for Community Outreach at the School of Dentistry. “Watching our dental school open its doors to provide  compassionate, free care to these incredible individuals was a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.”

With a focus on prevention, restorative care, and urgent treatment, the event provided exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and diagnostic imaging.

Dental student Sergio Solis said the experience captured the heart of the school’s mission.

“We always talk about our family here at the dental school,” he says. “Give Seniors a Smile is a beautiful opportunity to show how we come together to provide charitable care to our seniors who may need it but aren’t able to get it for various reasons. Seniors are mentors and loved ones. It’s nice for us to be there for them and to give back.”

By the end of the day, each senior left not only with a goodie bag of oral care essentials but also renewed confidence—and, for many, a plan for ongoing dental care.

Almost 100 patients needed follow-up treatment, so they received referrals to the School of Dentistry for comprehensive care across multiple specialties, including general dentistry, endodontics, oral surgery, and prosthodontics.

“Even among the patients who did not require additional restorative work, many will still be able to receive ongoing preventive care, specifically, six-month dental hygiene visits,” Naderi says.

The event was made possible through the generous support of the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. Representatives from the Houston Food Bank and the Area Agency on Aging were on-site to connect participants with additional community resources.

For Naderi and her team, the day’s success was both humbling and inspiring.

“I’m deeply proud of our students, residents, faculty, and staff for turning an idea into such an impactful event,” she says. “This is what community looks like.”