For us, it all began with ForsythKids.
Almost a century ago, the Forsyth family first took steps toward providing every child with access to effective oral care. Between 1914 and the mid-1950s, half a million disadvantaged children were treated for free by dentists at the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children bearing this visionary family's name, regardless of socioeconomic status.
With the realization that the need for dental care far exceeded Forsyth's capacity, the organization expanded its mission in the 1960s to include scientific research. In 1996 Forsyth changed its name and its mission to reflect its commitment to research. The organization exists to improve human health by exploring the causes of oral diseases and disorders and finding ways to understand, prevent, treat and cure them.
In 2003, the Institute renewed the ForsythKids program and today, the next generation of ForsythKids is going strong. For elementary-school children in more than 20 Massachusetts communities, this means receiving free dental care in school. Twice a year, each enrollee is provided with a dental exam, tooth cleaning, preventive care, and oral health education.