About SMILE Clinic
Serving Through Mobile Dentistry to Inspire, Lift, and Empower
The SMILE Clinic is the first mobile dentistry clinic at UNC that brings dentistry to those who can’t come to us. The SMILE Clinic was founded by two DDS students at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, Mylan Young and Karen Zhao, under the UNC Asian Dental Student Organization (ADSO). They received generous support and mentorship from several organizations to make their vision a reality, including the 2021 #AerieREAL Changemakers Grant, 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Seed Grant, and the 2022-2023 NC Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, sponsored by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.
Young and Zhao noticed that while there were several student-run fixed clinics at the school, there was a need to bring care through mobile dentistry to patient populations who may not be aware of the resources available to them and couldn’t come to the dentist.
SMILE aims to provide free dental care to various populations facing both physical and social barriers to care, such as homeless patients, women and children seeking shelter from domestic violence or homelessness, patients in correctional centers, special needs patients, and more.
SMILE’s mission is to serve patients ultimate care through mobile dentistry to inspire, lift, and empower patients for increased health and quality of life!
Questions? Email uncadso@gmail.com.
