I recently got the chance to speak with Nicole McGrath-Barnes, DDS FACD, Founder and CEO of KinderSmile Foundation. “Dr. Nicole,” as she’s affectionately referred to by patients, parents, and others who know her, founded KinderSmile Foundation (KSF) in 2007 to advocate for an increase in optimal oral health care access and oral health education for children in underserved communities.
KinderSmile Foundation is also a long-time grantee of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation. Our Foundation has supported various oral health programs for more than a decade for children and perinatal moms at their Bloomfield Oral Health Center, their location at the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, and more recently, their new program in Trenton. Our associates have also volunteered with KinderSmile Foundation through their annual Give Kids A Smile Day programs.
Let’s learn more about Dr. Nicole and her passion for oral health care for children.
Q: When did you know you wanted to be a dentist and why?
Dr. Nicole: I knew I wanted to become a dentist at the tender age of 15 years old. At first, I thought I wanted to become a pediatrician because I always had such a strong affinity for children and serving my community at such a young age. Why? I grew up in Brooklyn in a single parent household. I watched my mother struggle to make ends meet, so that motivated me to find a career path at a young age.
I became a candy strip volunteer at the local Kings County Hospital in the pediatric ward. The hospital was in a marginalized community so there was an increased amount of poverty and health disparities. I witnessed many mothers addicted to recreational substances and left their babies with deformities at the hospital. As a 15-year-old young black girl with an affinity for children, I was heartbroken. I immediately gave up the thought of becoming a pediatrician because I knew I would end up adopting all the kids in the hospital by the time I was 18 years old! :)
It was then that I researched dentistry. I applied for a dental assisting job and the dentist did not hire me due to lack of experience, but he became a great mentor. It was then, I fell in love with dentistry.
Q: Can you share with us what inspired you to establish KinderSmile Foundation (KSF)?
Dr. Nicole: I was inspired to start KSF through a personal dental experience in 2007. Fifteen years into private practice dentistry, I felt something missing from my career. So, I decided to approach the local Head Start in Montclair and volunteer my time as a program dentist. I frequently visited the facility and provided oral education to the children, staff, and caregivers. I noticed that many of the children’s' teeth were badly decayed. It baffled me because the facility was located in Montclair, NJ.
It was not until I did research and realized the children attending the Head Start program were at or below federal poverty level. It was several months later, when a 5-year-old black girl presented to my office for an emergency, she resided in Union County but attended school in Montclair. She could not find a dentist in a 5-mile radius who was willing to accept her Medicaid insurance. It was then I extended my services to have the children in need bussed to my local private office with parental consent and started to provide "free" dental services for the children in need.
That night I fell to my knees and God spoke to me – I needed to be the voice and advocate for the children in marginalized communities to increase access to oral care with an emphasis on oral health education. Especially being a black mother with three children and my youngest almost the same age as the 5-year-old girl.
Q: What have been 1-2 of your most rewarding experiences since establishing KinderSmile?
Dr. Nicole: Hands down, my most rewarding experiences are serving those who are less fortunate by letting them know they are valued and deserve the best dental care! Secondly, assisting over 47 high school and college students to get into dental school and pursue a great career in dentistry with passion and compassion to serve. I can go on and on!
Q: Can you share about the various oral health programs KinderSmile offers the Trenton, Newark, and Bloomfield communities?
Dr. Nicole: We have four distinct community programs that serve all three of our dental homes:
Oral Health Program: we partner with local schools, head starts, WIC, boards of health, etc. to provide oral education and bring preventive and diagnostic services to children in need.
Perinatal Health & Wellness Program: providing at-risk, undocumented mothers with 3 hours of oral health education and disease prevention along with 1 years’ worth of free dental services.
Give Back A Smile Program: allows my dental colleagues to come to one of our dental homes and volunteer their time and services to the community to help decrease the amount of dental non- emergency visits.
CSLP - Community Service Learning Program: it is a mentorship program for high school, college and pre-professional students to garner community service hours, experience through shadowing dentists and assistance with dental school applications.
Q: Can you tell us more about your Community Service Learning Program and why you think it’s so important?
Dr. Nicole: The CSLP described above is one of my favorite community programs. Just like I had a great mentor, I wanted to honor him and pay it forward. It is crucially important to mentor students along the way and to encourage, edify and guide young enthusiastic students. Providing a place where they can feel comfortable to cry, laugh and share their acceptance letters; a place where they can hear my story and be inspired to be a great dentist despite your humble beginnings and shortcomings.
Q: If there is one take-a-way you’d like to share with people about why maintaining good oral health is so important, especially for children, what would that be?
Dr. Nicole: Oral health is truly the gateway to total health. Take care of your teeth and they will take care of you!
Q: What is your hope for the future of dental care and dentistry, specifically for children across New Jersey?
Dr. Nicole: My hope is that children and families will understand the importance of good oral health and that tooth decay is the #1 preventable disease and children can be caries free. I also hope that other dentists can see the value in becoming a Community Service Dentist.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about KinderSmile Foundation and its mission?
Dr. Nicole: Come and join us as volunteers, be inspired by the community we have created and serve.
In addition to all the impactful work Dr. Nicole and KinderSmile Foundation provide in New Jersey, they also take their mission international! KinderSmile also serves seven developing nations abroad, which their volunteers travel to for an annual mission trip.
According to KinderSmiles website: “#ItTakesAVillage to fund, staff and execute our programs, and we are grateful to our supporters for choosing KinderSmile Foundation as a trustworthy vehicle for the work they believe in.”
To learn more about KinderSmile and their work, please visit: kindersmile.org.
