The Chargers won their fifth-straight game on Sunday, and on Tuesday, the Bolts partnered with TeamSmile for the fifth-straight year to offer free dental services to 300 underserved children. In addition, BIOLASE joins the partnership this year to provide volunteers, dental tools and the latest technology for the checkups for the children who came from the Los Angeles Unified School District.
"This is our fifth Chargers event for the local kids in the neighborhood that are underserved and don't have dental insurance," said Dr. Bill Busch, co-founder of TeamSmile. "This is also something that could be a first-time trip to the dentist, so what better way than to do it here with the energy that the Chargers provide? We're going to see about 300 children, and they're going to get free dental care from cleanings to X-rays to fillings, even cosmetic dentistry."
"It is the first year that we've been involved with Team Smile and the Chargers, so we're excited about it," added John Beaver, Executive Vice President/CFO of BIOLASE. "It means so much. First, seeing all the kids here getting dental treatment where really this could be the only time they see a dentist or the first they see a dentist. To be involved in something like this is just very heartwarming."
What is normally the Stadium Club at StubHub Center was transformed into a full-service dental office full of X-ray stations and patient chairs. But to make the experience more fun, once the kids got their dental work complete, they got to partake in a super fun dance party in a special area with a DJ. Additionally, they got to meet Chargers players who helped them through the process.
"It was great soothing (a) kid and making sure that he was comfortable as the dentist was cleaning his teeth," mentioned Corey Liuget. "For me, it's a remarkable thing, and it's one of the best things I could possibly do (to) come out here and help a kid out."
"A lot of them are a little nervous and scared to get their teeth cleaned, (so I'm here) just to show them that it'll be alright," added Jatavis Brown. "I think this is a great event. I was just thinking when I walked in here, when I was growing up, I didn't have anything like this. To be a part of this is a great event, it's something special."
For Liuget, the event hit home.
"It means a great deal to me because as a kid, I didn't see a dentist until I was like 14 years old," he said. "For these kids to come out here and be able to get their teeth cleaned, just to have this overall experience is pretty great."
Making a positive impact in the community is a cornerstone of the Chargers organization. Holding an event like this for half a decade by helping kids complete their checkups with ease while teaching them about proper oral hygiene shows their commitment to giving back.
"I think they almost did everything in the community that needs to be done, and I think the last thing, dentistry, is hard to do away from the dental office, and the Chargers managed to do that," Busch added. "Their community involvement, it's just making them standout as a luminary in the community."
The Chargers and the Chargers Community Foundation help build healthy communities for our region's youth. For more information,**follow @ChargersCR on Twitter**.
