Miles for Smiles sets fundraising record

More than $20,000 was raised at the 2024 Miles for Smiles, setting a new record for the annual collaborative fundraiser between Texas A&M School of Dentistry and the UT Dallas Pre-Dental Association.

“We did set an initial goal of $10,000 and have spent the first quarter of this year fundraising to reach our goal,” said Talen Swei, president of UTD PDA. “To our surprise, not only did we reach our goal, we surpassed it by more than double.

“Every year this event has grown bigger, and I am excited to see our impact on our community with our donations this year,” he said. “Hopefully our next president will be able to break our record!”

The money raised by Miles for Smiles benefits the dental school’s Social Services Dental Care Fund, which offers financial assistance to patients who run into issues mid-treatment that require more intensive, and costly, care. Tony Keller, with the dental school’s Office of Social Services, explained that sometimes a patient’s treatment plan can change unexpectedly as new issues are discovered, or an unexpected cost can catch a patient off guard.

For example, a patient may come in for a filling, but it’s later discovered they need a root canal. This fund not only helps the patients cover the cost of treatment, he said, but it also helps students performing the work complete their requirements as patients won’t be forced to back out or refuse care.

Last year’s Miles for Smiles raised approximately $16,000.

“Miles for Smiles is always a fun event,” Keller said. “I like to think of it as a celebration for everything UTD’s pre-dental association has done to help us. We really appreciate it.”

The event was not only a day to celebrate the pre-dental association’s achievement, but also to celebrate bringing the community closer together. Swei said every $314 raised helps cover costs for one DFW patient in need. The event has also fostered a close working relationship between the dental school and UTD’s pre-dental association with the school offering many valuable networking and learning opportunities for UTD’s pre-dental students.

“I’ve been part of the pre-dental association since I was a freshman, all four years,” said Hannah Lee, the pre-dental association’s vice president. “The fact that we get to collaborate with Texas A&M School of Dentistry, that in itself is a pretty big opportunity for us. I want to thank your school so much. We hope it keeps growing.”