UT Dentists, School of Dentistry participate at UTHealth Houston Health Fair
Published: October 31, 2023 by Dylan Allen
Volunteers from UT Dentists and UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry provided individuals with free oral and dental screenings along with oral hygiene education as part of UTHealth Houston’s title sponsorship of the 2023 Houston Half Marathon & 10K.
Rolling its way into the UT Physicians’ Bellaire Station on Oct. 28, the School of Dentistry’s Mobile Dental Van made a stop at the packet pickup location for runners and their families.
Volunteers from UT Dentists provided approximately 30 individuals with oral and dental screenings, and hundreds more received personal oral hygiene instruction to better maintain a healthy smile and prevent any future diseases during the free UTHealth Houston Health Fair.
Along with the services that were provided inside the Mobile Dental Van, volunteers joined the booths of UT Physicians and other UTHealth Houston schools to offer prizes and more valuable information on how to maintain a quality oral hygiene regimen. Overseeing this opportunity to engage the community and surrounding areas was UT Dentists Director of Operations Chris Truong, MBA.
“Health fairs are great ways to offer health and wellness information to participants,” Truong said. “We increase awareness with the more people we reach, and it provides an opportunity for health care professionals to share and provide resources and services that contribute to the health and well-being of the community.”
UTHealth Houston was chosen as the title sponsor for the Houston Half Marathon & 10K by the Houston Striders, a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on community wellness and charitable outreach. This year, the two decided to combine this year’s packet pickup with a health fair.
Although the event was catered for those who signed up for the race, screening services were open to all who visited the event — from race participants to their friends and family members and even to volunteers who supported it.
The Houston Half Marathon & 10K was held the following day, with over 7,500 people participating in the sold-out event.