A Philadelphia dental hygienist recently started a nonprofit to provide education and dental supplies to families in need.
Jess Morgan, who is currently employed at Cobblestone Kids Pediatric Dentistry, started Jess' Kind Little Smiles to increase access to dental care amid the pandemic.
After she found herself out of work due to closing dental offices last year, Ms. Morgan began volunteering with a local church handing out meal kits to the community. She realized the need for dental supplies and began adding those items to meal kits. She also began partnering with other food organizations because she said there is a link between lack of access to food and poor oral health.
The kits include products such as toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. So far, she has donated nearly 6,000 kits and plans to provide 10,000 to Philadelphia families by 2022. Ms. Morgan also said she wants to expand the organization to other countries and provide eco-friendly product options.