Hundreds of Nashville-Area Kids Receive Free Dental Screenings, Shoes, and More at 2025 Kids Dental Day
'This is one of our favorite days of the year,' said Adam English, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Nashville Sounds. 'First Horizon Park is meant to be a place where families can come together, and thanks to our incredible partners, we're able to make a real impact for hundreds of kids in our community.'
Tooth decay is the most common chronic condition of childhood, and poor oral health can affect a child's quality of life, performance at school, and success later in life. According to the CDC's 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report, half of all children aged 6 to 9 have had cavities in their primary or permanent teeth. Left untreated, these cavities can lead to pain, infections, and missed school days - and affect a child's ability to eat, speak, play, and learn. Events like Kids Dental Day help bridge the gap in access to care and put children on a path toward healthier, more confident futures.
'We're always grateful to the Sounds and our many community partners and volunteers who come together to make Kids Dental Day such a success,' said Jeff Ballard, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. 'It's a fun, high-impact day that helps make care more accessible - and reminds kids that their health and happiness matter.'
The 250 participating kids arrived throughout the day from summer camps and community programs that coordinated with event organizers, including Preston Taylor Ministries and local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee. Kids received free dental screenings and dental cleanings (as needed), a new pair of socks and shoes, snacks, and a new book. About 25% of children receiving cleanings also had signs of developing cavities that the dental team was able to treat with silver diamine fluoride (SDF), a non-invasive treatment used to stop the growth of tooth decay.
'Helping kids access quality dental care is at the heart of our mission,' said Dr. Michele Blackledge-Polk, Director of Oral Health at Neighborhood Health. 'Good oral health habits start early and set the foundation for lifelong health, confidence, and success. One of the most powerful aspects of events like Kids Dental Day is our ability to assess the state of children in the community by having limited exams and education on brushing and flossing. Silver Diamine Fluoride is a new tool that works by preventing the progression of cavities. When properly used, we can reduce the need for drilling and hopefully the number of visits required to treat the tooth. This event is all about meeting families where they are and making oral health approachable and fun.'
The day also featured educational stations and activities to engage children as they prepare to return to school in the coming weeks. Book'em brought their Book Bus, giving every child the opportunity to pick out a free book to take home. The American Heart Association provided hands-only CPR demonstrations, and the Adventure Science Center hosted STEM activities. PBS Kids on Nashville PBS gave out temporary tattoos featuring characters from the Delta Dental and Smile180 Foundation supported oral health education programming.
'For many of our families, back-to-school can be extremely time-consuming and stressful,' said Dwight Johnson, Executive Director at Preston Taylor Ministries. 'Kids Dental Day helps to alleviate a lot of that burden with care, joy, and community. Our students left with healthier smiles, fresh shoes, and a boost of confidence for the year ahead.'
130 volunteers from cityCURRENT and other community groups helped make the day run smoothly ─ from assisting families and guiding kids through activities to distributing books, snacks, and dental kits.
'Kids Dental Day is a shining example of what can happen when the business community comes together with a shared purpose,' said Kelly Meyers, Nashville Market President, cityCURRENT. 'It's more than a day of service ─ it's a reminder to each child that they matter, and we're here to support them.'
Additional partners helped to make the event possible behind the scenes. Signature Transportation provided buses to bring kids to and from summer programs and camps across the region, ensuring that transportation was never a barrier to participation. Volunteers stayed energized thanks to snacks and drinks donated by Kroger, as well as coffee and doughnuts donated by Dunkin' Donuts. Dental supplies were donated by Henry Schein and equipment was provided by Hope Smiles.
To learn more about Kids Dental Day, visit: deltadentaltn.com/kids-dental-day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business Wire
Sarepta Therapeutics Provides Clarifying Statement on ELEVIDYS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today issued the following statement: Just before 6:00 p.m. ET today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release announcing an investigation into the death of an eight-year-old Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) patient who had received ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec) gene therapy. The death of this patient was deemed unrelated to treatment with ELEVIDYS. As reported yesterday by Naomi Kresge at Bloomberg News: Roche Holding AG says the recent death of a patient in Brazil who had been treated with gene therapy Elevidys for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is unrelated to the treatment. * The boy wasn't a clinical trial participant; reporting physician assessed his death as being unrelated to the gene therapy, Roche says in statement * Death was reported to health authorities * Roche, which markets Sarepta's Duchenne treatment Elevidys outside the US, declines to comment on the boy's age or details of the case Sarepta reported this event to FDA on June 18, 2025, via the FDA's postmarketing electronic database, FAERS. At Sarepta, patient safety and well-being are always our top priority. We are committed to upholding the highest safety standards for all of our therapies, and do so in accordance with applicable law and commitment to full regulatory transparency. ELEVIDYS is the only approved gene therapy for families and children devastated by Duchenne, a rare, progressive and ultimately fatal disease. We remain committed to working closely with the FDA to ensure that all decisions are grounded in science and the best interests of patients, considering the compelling need of these families to access disease-modifying therapy. About ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) is a single-dose, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene transfer therapy for intravenous infusion designed to address the underlying genetic cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy – mutations or changes in the DMD gene that result in the lack of dystrophin protein – through the delivery of a transgene that codes for the targeted production of ELEVIDYS micro-dystrophin in skeletal muscle. ELEVIDYS is indicated for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in individuals at least 4 years of age. For patients who are ambulatory and have a confirmed mutation in the DMD gene For patients who are non-ambulatory and have a confirmed mutation in the DMD gene. The DMD indication in non-ambulatory patients is approved under accelerated approval based on expression of ELEVIDYS micro-dystrophin in skeletal muscle. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION CONTRAINDICATION: ELEVIDYS is contraindicated in patients with any deletion in exon 8 and/or exon 9 in the DMD gene. WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS: Infusion-related Reactions: Infusion-related reactions, including hypersensitivity reactions and anaphylaxis, have occurred during or up to several hours following ELEVIDYS administration. Closely monitor patients during administration and for at least 3 hours after the end of infusion. If symptoms of infusion-related reactions occur, slow, or stop the infusion and give appropriate treatment. Once symptoms resolve, the infusion may be restarted at a lower rate. ELEVIDYS should be administered in a setting where treatment for infusion-related reactions is immediately available. Discontinue infusion for anaphylaxis. Acute Serious Liver Injury: Acute serious liver injury has been observed with ELEVIDYS, and administration may result in elevations of liver enzymes (such as GGT, GLDH, ALT, AST) or total bilirubin, typically seen within 8 weeks. Patients with preexisting liver impairment, chronic hepatic condition, or acute liver disease (e.g., acute hepatic viral infection) may be at higher risk of acute serious liver injury. Postpone ELEVIDYS administration in patients with acute liver disease until resolved or controlled. Prior to ELEVIDYS administration, perform liver enzyme test and monitor liver function (clinical exam, GGT, and total bilirubin) weekly for the first 3 months following ELEVIDYS infusion. Continue monitoring if clinically indicated, until results are unremarkable (normal clinical exam, GGT, and total bilirubin levels return to near baseline levels). Systemic corticosteroid treatment is recommended for patients before and after ELEVIDYS infusion. Adjust corticosteroid regimen when indicated. If acute serious liver injury is suspected, consultation with a specialist is recommended. Immune-mediated Myositis: In clinical trials, immune-mediated myositis has been observed approximately 1 month following ELEVIDYS infusion in patients with deletion mutations involving exon 8 and/or exon 9 in the DMD gene. Symptoms of severe muscle weakness, including dysphagia, dyspnea, and hypophonia, were observed. Limited data are available for ELEVIDYS treatment in patients with mutations in the DMD gene in exons 1 to 17 and/or exons 59 to 71. Patients with deletions in these regions may be at risk for a severe immune-mediated myositis reaction. Advise patients to contact a physician immediately if they experience any unexplained increased muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, including dysphagia, dyspnea, or hypophonia, as these may be symptoms of myositis. Consider additional immunomodulatory treatment (immunosuppressants [e.g., calcineurin-inhibitor] in addition to corticosteroids) based on patient's clinical presentation and medical history if these symptoms occur. Myocarditis: Acute serious myocarditis and troponin-I elevations have been observed following ELEVIDYS infusion in clinical trials. If a patient experiences myocarditis, those with pre-existing left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) impairment may be at higher risk of adverse outcomes. Monitor troponin-I before ELEVIDYS infusion and weekly for the first month following infusion and continue monitoring if clinically indicated. More frequent monitoring may be warranted in the presence of cardiac symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath. Advise patients to contact a physician immediately if they experience cardiac symptoms. Preexisting Immunity against AAVrh74: In AAV-vector based gene therapies, preexisting anti-AAV antibodies may impede transgene expression at desired therapeutic levels. Following treatment with ELEVIDYS, all patients developed anti-AAVrh74 antibodies. Perform baseline testing for presence of anti-AAVrh74 total binding antibodies prior to ELEVIDYS administration. ELEVIDYS administration is not recommended in patients with elevated anti-AAVrh74 total binding antibody titers greater than or equal to 1:400. Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥5%) reported in clinical studies were vomiting, nausea, liver injury, pyrexia, and thrombocytopenia. Report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Sarepta Therapeutics at 1-888-SAREPTA (1-888-727-3782). For further information, please see the full Prescribing Information. About Sarepta Therapeutics Sarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer precision genetic medicine for rare diseases that devastate lives and cut futures short. We hold a leadership position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) and are building a robust portfolio of programs across muscle, central nervous system, and cardiac diseases. For more information, please visit or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook. Forward-Looking Statements This statement contains 'forward-looking statements.' Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as 'believe,' 'anticipate,' 'plan,' 'expect,' 'will,' 'may,' 'intend,' 'prepare,' 'look,' 'potential,' 'possible' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to our future operations, research and development programs, clinical trials and ELEVIDYS. Actual results could materially differ from those stated or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. Known risk factors include the following: our products or product candidates may be perceived as insufficiently effective, unsafe or may result in unforeseen adverse events; our products or product candidates may cause undesirable side effects that result in significant negative consequences following any marketing approval; the possible impact of regulations and regulatory decisions by the FDA and other regulatory agencies on our business; and those risks identified under the heading 'Risk Factors' in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as other SEC filings made by the Company, which you are encouraged to review. Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect the Company's business, results of operations and the trading price of Sarepta's common stock. For a detailed description of risks and uncertainties Sarepta faces, you are encouraged to review the SEC filings made by Sarepta. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained herein. Sarepta does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law. Internet Posting of Information We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the 'For Investors' section of our website at We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us. Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business Wire
Earnings Teleconference Moves to Earlier Time on July 29
--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As previously announced, UnitedHealth Group will release its second quarter 2025 financial results on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, before the market opens. The start time for the teleconference has moved to 8:00 a.m. ET, 45 minutes earlier than previously announced, to allow more time for discussion of results with analysts and investors. This call will be webcast on the Investor Relations page of the company's website ( The replay will be available through August 12 on the website. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a health care and well-being company with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone through two distinct and complementary businesses. Optum delivers care aided by technology and data, empowering people, partners and providers with the guidance and tools they need to achieve better health. UnitedHealthcare offers a full range of health benefits, enabling affordable coverage, simplifying the health care experience and delivering access to high-quality care. Visit UnitedHealth Group at and follow UnitedHealth Group on LinkedIn.
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business Wire
Sun Nuclear to Highlight New Quality Management Solutions at 2025 AAPM Annual Meeting
MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sun Nuclear, a Mirion Medical company, will present significant additions to its comprehensive portfolio of Radiation Therapy Quality Management solutions at the 2025 American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Annual Meeting, taking place July 27-29, in Washington, D.C. Attendees are invited to explore new software and hardware innovations designed to help elevate treatment quality, streamline workflows, and support safer care. Premiering at AAPM 2025 AdaptCHECK™ Software: AdaptCHECK is a groundbreaking quality assurance (QA) solution for adaptive therapy, enabling fast, patient-specific QA for Varian Medical Systems ® Ethos™ Therapy. Built on the SunCHECK ® Patient workflow, AdaptCHECK supports secondary dose calculations for pre-treatment QA, plan-of-the-day calculations for real-time adjustments based on patient anatomy, and quick plan re-calculations to keep treatments on track. Plan AI™ Software: Plan AI* is an AI-powered treatment planning assistant from Oncospace, now part of Sun Nuclear. The application saves time and drives continuous improvement in plan quality by providing predictive, patient-specific insights on achievable goals before planning begins. It further saves time by streamlining communication and accelerating decision-making. SunSILICON™ Detectors: Expanding the Sun Nuclear detector portfolio, SunSILICON detectors mark an intelligent evolution from the widely adopted EDGE Detector™. These precision-engineered silicon diodes are optimized for advanced relative photon and electron dosimetry, designed for SRS and SBRT, and are compatible with the cylindrical SunSCAN™ 3D water phantom. The SunSILICON model is ideal for very small photon fields and electron dosimetry. The shielded SunSILICON P model is optimized for small to large photon fields. evrCAM™ Cameras: A radiation-tolerant pan-tilt-zoom camera, evrCAM offers superior lifetime and low-light visibility, supporting reliable monitoring in radiation environments, efficient clinical workflows and enhanced patient safety. evrCAM is designed for seamless integration into treatment rooms regardless of linac type – providing clinicians with clear video for enhanced patient observation by eliminating pixelated and damaged images. Additional featured solutions include: the latest version of the SunCHECK Platform for centralized, standardized Quality Management; SciMoCa™ for Monte Carlo-based independent verification of online adaptive secondary dose calculations from Elekta ® Unity™ systems; and Gateway™, a patient data conversion solution for Pinnacle™ treatment planning. In-Booth Education and Demonstrations Throughout AAPM 2025, Sun Nuclear will host a series of presentations and hands-on demonstrations in booth 5000. Topics will span AI-powered planning, adaptive QA workflows, detector technology, and clinical use cases—delivered by both internal experts and leading clinical physicists from across the field. 'We are excited to join the medical physics community at AAPM this year, and to present a range of meaningful advancements that reflect our commitment to smarter, safer radiation therapy," said Luis Rivera, President of Sun Nuclear and Executive Vice President of Mirion Medical. "From AI-powered planning tools and adaptive-focused QA to precision detectors and robust monitoring solutions, our expanded portfolio is aimed at helping clinicians drive efficiency, elevate care, and prepare for the future of patient-centric treatment.' To learn more, visit * Plan AI software for prostate and head and neck, thoracic, abdomen, and pelvis radiotherapy is FDA 510(k) cleared, and for sale in the United States only. About Sun Nuclear Sun Nuclear is part of Mirion Medical, a group of healthcare-focused brands within Mirion, providing innovative solutions for Radiation Therapy and Diagnostic Imaging. More than 6,000 cancer centers worldwide rely on us for independent, integrated Quality Management. With a focus on ongoing support, Sun Nuclear aims to ease technology adoption, enhance workflows and improve outcomes – so that healthcare providers can achieve real results for Patient Safety. Learn more: Sun Nuclear, AdaptCHECK, SunCHECK, Plan AI, SunSILICON, SunSCAN 3D and evrCAM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Mirion Technologies, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. Varian Medical Systems® is a registered trademark, and Ethos™ is a trademark, of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. Sun Nuclear Corporation is not affiliated with or sponsored by Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
