By Salem Hailu.

As a dental student, I have the pleasure of going once a month to my local Boys and Girls Clubs of America and teaching youth about the importance of oral health and how it affects overall health. What I hear all the time from our volunteers is that they can’t believe how much the children know not only about how to maintain theiroral health but about teeth in general. They can tell you the difference between molars and incisors, what causes a cavity, how our teeth impact speech and eating, what dentin is and the pulp. What we are most proud of is that the children remember what we’ve taught them from the month before and so we can build on it. So, these children are being set up to engage in a lifetime of healthy oral health habits, which not only prevents tooth decay and gum disease, but increases their overall health.

Unfortunately, many adult patients I see have a different story. I often hear them say they would have done things differently if they only had known how to properly take care of their teeth, and the importance of doing so. As a result, many have oral health issues needing to be addressed.

Why are we seeing this great divide between what the children at the club know compared to my patients in the chair? It starts with being generous with our knowledge. We are all experts in our own field and have the ability to help our community.

Why does it matter? In a time and space where we are seeing resources that have been staples in our community diminished, it’s important to step up. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the need and feel like there’s nothing one individual can do.

However, what we each hold is our own knowledge. What my fellow volunteers and I have done is be generous with not only our time, but our knowledge to build a foundation so that as these children have greater autonomy over their oral health, know what to do, and why they should do it.

I don’t have the knowledge of a mechanic or marketing executive or an educator, but I am sure that there are those of you
reading this that do. We are at a time in which it can be straining to be generous with time or money but what if we contribute what we know?

Where to start? Think about an organization whose mission aligns with your values. Where do you think you can make a difference? It can be helping a nonprofit tell their story to more effectively fundraise. Or, building a website or increasing an organization’s social media presence. Tutoring at your local public school. Teaching cooking skills at a senior center. Whatever resonates with you is a great place to begin.

Our individual impact doesn’t have to create a cascade of global change. Being influential to a group or person close to home and heart is more than worth the effort. When you share your knowledge for causes you care about, it strengthens your connection to the community and fuels your sense of purpose and fulfillment. So, be generous with your knowledge. You’ll benefit, too.

Salem Hailu
UNC School of Dentistry, Class of 2027
2025-26 NCOHC Schweitzer Fellow

The opinions expressed are the author’s own.