Former Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder and manager Frank Quilici and the Minnesota Twins hosted a TeamSmile event last weekend for almost 300 kids that provided dental screening and education.
As part of MLB's All-Star Week Legacy project, children at the Boys & Girls Club in East Saint Paul, MN, received $150,000 worth of free preventive care and education, and, if necessary, follow-up dental treatment.
TeamSmile is a nonprofit dental organization that partners oral health professionals with athletic organizations to provide dental care to children. The goal is to provide free quality dental care, including oral health education, screening, treatment, and preventive care to underserved youth. Since 2007, TeamSmile has provided more than $4.3 million of oral healthcare services to 9,825 children through 14 different sports organizations.
Quilici, the Twins' second baseman in the 1965 World Series and a Twins manager from 1972-1975, was at the event with TeamSmile co-founder Bill Busch, DMD, of Kansas City, MO. Dr. Busch helped create the organization after being inspired to take action after seeing a TV report about a child who died due to an untreated abscessed tooth.
