Community Involvement

Dr. Krendl is a member of the Rotary Club of Littleton, which runs Arty's Friday Food Bag Program. Every Friday during the school year, volunteers pack bags of food and snacks for students at Centennial Academy of Fine Arts to take home over the weekend. These are kids from low-income families who might not have enough to eat between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.

Dr. Krendl wanted to add something to those bags. He sourced toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and other hygiene items through his network of dental vendors and donated over $480 worth of supplies for 576 children. It matters more than most people realize. Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment found that more than 60% of third-graders and nearly 46% of kindergarteners in the state have had at least one cavity. For kids on free and reduced lunch, about one in four needed urgent dental care at the time they were screened.

Preventive care like this is a basic part of keeping kids healthy, and for families dealing with economic hardship, a toothbrush in a Friday food bag can go a long way.

Every year, Dr. Krendl and his wife volunteer with TeamSmile, a national nonprofit that partners with professional sports teams to provide free dental care for underserved kids. The events are held at major stadiums around the country, so the children get their teeth taken care of and have a genuinely fun day while they're at it. Members of the Colorado Dental Arts team, including dental assistant Hannah, have volunteered alongside them.

Since TeamSmile started, the organization has held over 275 programs, treated more than 55,000 children, and delivered over $20 million in free dental care and oral health education. Those aren't just numbers on a page. That's real care reaching kids who otherwise wouldn't get it.