Healthy Athletes Kick-off

The UNC School of Dentistry hosted a press conference March 31, 1999 to kick off the Healthy Athletes portion of this summer's 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games. Dean John Stamm welcomed special guests from health affairs, national and local Special Olympic organizers, dignitaries, Drs. Tom Songster, Steve Pearlman, Paul Bergman, Sargent Shriver, media and special Olympians. Sargent's wife Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the games in 1968.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is playing a major role by housing half of the athletes, hosting basketball, table tennis and aquatics and sponsoring the Healthy Athletes program. During the games local health professionals from around the state and UNC will join with other health care volunteers from around the world to provide free health screening for the 7,000 Special Olympics athletes. The department of endodontics, led by Dr. Asgeir Sigurdsson, will work with the Sports Medicine Department at UNC to treat sports-related injuries. They will also provide training in dental trauma to dentists, physicians, trainers, and nurses who will be stationed at each venue during the games.

School of Dentistry faculty Ms. Nancy St. Onge and Dr. Thomas McIver are leading the volunteer recruitment for the school and have recruited more than 60 volunteers to assist with screenings and oral health education. A unique aspect of this year's Special Olympics volunteers is that dental volunteers will be applying sealants for selected athletes.

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