Laurel Parent Dr. Rebecca Robbins Coley Leads Charge on Cleveland’s Annual TeamSmile Event

Common Ground, a Cleveland Foundation publication focused on community change, local innovation, and grassroots problem solving, published a story about TeamSmile and Dr. Robbins’ leadership in running the local event each year. Children receive exams, cleanings, fillings and extractions in the same places where fans gather to cheer on their favorite teams. TeamSmile events include music, mascots, cheerleaders, and former professional athletes, who all help turn a dental appointment into something children look forward to rather than fear. 

Cleveland is one of our really strong events because we have a partnership with our lead dentist, Dr. Rebecca Robbins,” says Kami Thomas, TeamSmile’s senior director of programming. “She’s really the spirit behind the Cleveland program because she talks to her colleagues. She gets 25 dentists coming, and that is actually more than we typically have at a program. She really brings out her colleagues and gets the word out.” 

Volunteer dental professionals have provided more than $1 million in free dental care through the Cleveland program. Dr. Robbins’ entire family gets involved each year. Daughter Emily ’30 and her brother Brennan, recruit between 20-30 students from Laurel and other area schools each year to assist.