Mālama Minoʻaka

Hui No Ke Ola Pono seeks funding to expand our annual Give Kids A Smile Hawaiʻi event by intentionally integrating Native Hawaiian cultural practices that promote holistic health and strengthen community connection.

Building on our existing free dental screenings, preventive services, and oral health education, this expansion will create a more welcoming, culturally grounded experience for Native Hawaiian keiki and their ʻohana.

The culturally enhanced event will include:

• A traditional protocol to open the day
• Hands-on activities, such as:
• • ʻulana lauhala
  • hana kapa
  • kā ʻupena
  • kōkō puʻupuʻu
  • hana lei
  • kapala lāʻau taught by community cultural practitioners
• Educational stations connecting oral health to traditional Hawaiian nutrition by highlighting traditional foods and explaining how they support dental health
• Incorporation of Hawaiian language into event signage and programming

By weaving culture into clinical services, the event becomes more than a dental clinic—it becomes a space of healing, identity, and belonging. This approach aligns with Hui No Ke Ola Pono’s mission to improve the health and well-being of Native Hawaiian communities through culturally grounded care, while reducing barriers and increasing trust and participation among families.