KinderSmile Foundation, Montclair Public Library and Partners for Health Foundation hosted a virtual screening of the award-winning documentary film: Toothache: The Painful Truth About Oral Health Care Inequity on April 1, 2025.
“Often overlooked, oral health affects overall health, mental health, school absenteeism, school performance, and, eventually, employability. We created the film to highlight just a few of the stories that we see every day in our Dental Homes. Patients from marginalized communities lack equitable access to care. As a state we are failing our children, and we need to do better!” said Dr. Michal Herman of KinderSmile Foundation in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
The film explores the oral health disparities that public health dentists see each day. It details some strides that New Jersey has taken, and lists necessary resolutions to expanding access to oral health care. Through meaningful, sometimes heartrending conversations with families, staff, public health advocates, and New Jersey stakeholders, Toothache exposes the gap in access to oral health care and outlines a roadmap of innovative solutions for a healthier future for marginalized communities, bringing attention to the need for change, and advocating for a call to action.
Following the screening, an esteemed panel of experts discussed ongoing oral health access issues, and highlighted the positive changes in oral health policy in New Jersey that have resulted from advocacy efforts linked to Toothache. Moderator Mary Otto, author of “Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality and the Struggle for Oral Health In America,” was joined by these panelists:
- Dr. Michal Herman, Chief Operating Officer, KinderSmile Foundation
- Nashon Hornsby, Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Community Health Services (CHS), New Jersey Department of Health
- Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes, Founder and CEO, KinderSmile Foundation
- Linda Schwimmer, President and CEO, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
Toothache was named the Best Home Grown Documentary Feature at the Garden State Film Festival; Best Medical Documentary Feature at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival; and Best Feature Length Documentary at the DC After Dark Film Festival.
“This event provided information, support and visibility to families in our community who face dental health inequity,” says Montclair Public Library Director, Radwa Ali. “We were glad to join forces with Partners for Health and KinderSmile to address this significant, often overlooked issue.”
Pam Scott, Executive Director of Partners for Health added, “Acknowledging the serious health consequences of a lack of access to oral health care for children is a vital first step in advocating for change. We are proud to collaborate with KinderSmile Foundation and Montclair Public Library to create the space for this important discussion.”
The film is still in submission status for several film festivals, and at this time KinderSmile Foundation is not sure when it will be more widely released.