2025 03 26

VU Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Pediatric Dentistry Center Officially Opens

The Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Pediatric Dentistry Center has been officially unveiled at the Institute of Dentistry of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University (VU). The center will play a significant role in funding free dental care and treatment services for children, prioritizing those from socially disadvantaged families or living in foster care institutions.

The symbolic opening ribbon was cut by Vilnius University (VU) Rector Prof. Dr. Rimvydas Petrauskas, VU Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Dalius Jatužis, Head of the VU Institute of Dentistry Prof. Dr. Vilma Brukienė, and a representative of the benefactors, Laisvis Makulis.

The symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony. From the left: Head of the VU Institute of Dentistry Prof. Dr. Vilma Brukienė, VU Rector Prof. Dr. Rimvydas Petrauskas, VU Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Dalius Jatužis, and benefactors' representative Laisvis Makulis. (Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

According to the Director of the Institute of Dentistry, Prof. Dr. V. Brukienė, the center will not only support free dental care for children but also fund high-quality and innovative materials and equipment necessary for treatment. Patients will be able to seek care for dental cases of varying complexity.

During the academic year, patients are invited to receive treatment from 4th- and 5th-year Dentistry students at the VU Faculty of Medicine, who work with cutting-edge technology under the supervision of professional doctors. In addition to common procedures such as dental cavity and root canal treatment and oral hygiene, they will also have access to more complex procedures, including periodontal disease treatment, dental prosthetics, and surgical care. This initiative aims to improve access to daily dental care for children across Lithuania, regardless of their place of residence. In complex cases requiring treatment by highly qualified dental specialists, the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Pediatric Dentistry Center will provide financial support to ensure that children receive the necessary care as quickly as possible.

The new pediatric dentistry center will coordinate young patients' access to the necessary specialists—analyzing cases, determining service needs, and referring them to the appropriate level of specialists. This ensures that patients receive a comprehensive treatment plan without any additional fees.

Head of the VU Institute of Dentistry and the new center, Prof. Dr. Vilma Brukienė. (Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

The founders of the center aim to make treatment accessible to as many patients as possible, with the center’s funding opportunities increasing each year. "Upon receiving a patient's referral by phone or electronically, we will contact them, assess the complexity of the case, and create a treatment plan. No referrals will be required," said Prof. Dr. V. Brukienė.

According to the latest statistics, there are relatively few pediatric dentists in Lithuania: five years ago, 61 licenses were issued to pediatric dentists, and this year there are 94, yet the number of young patients is nearly 500,000. The oral health of Lithuanian children is among the worst in Europe, with more than 90% of children requiring some form of treatment. "Working with children requires not only high-level dental expertise but also psychological knowledge. Therefore, only a few dentists specialize in this field, as working with children is challenging. With the coordination support of this pediatric dentistry center, children will be able to see top-level specialists, doctors, and researchers who will implement the latest evidence-based methods into their treatment practices," commented Prof. Dr. V. Brukienė.

VU Rector Prof. Dr. Rimvydas Petrauskas. (Photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

The goal of the professional doctors is to inform the public about children's dental care and disease prevention. "The prevalence of oral diseases in Lithuania is very high, and we still do not have national-level dental care prevention programs. Therefore, the center will make efforts to educate the public about proper dental care through various means," commented Prof. Dr. V. Brukienė. In the future, the center plans to organize various oral disease prevention programs funded by its resources.

The establishment of this center was made possible by continuous funding from the return on investments from the Angelė & Sigitas Kazlauskas Endowment Sub-fund for VU Dentistry, established within the VU Foundation. Thanks to these funds, the center can fully cover the costs of all services, meaning that selected patients will receive services at no cost. "The mission of the center is to organize services ranging from prevention to the treatment of the most complex cases, thus providing the full spectrum of services under one roof for free," summarized Prof. Dr. V. Brukienė.

A portion of the returns from the sub-fund will be allocated to the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Scholarships, which will be awarded to motivated VU dentistry students. Additionally, there are plans to invest in acquiring new training equipment, allowing students to work with the most modern technology. The patient cases will provide knowledge and contribute to the academic practice of future doctors, thus ensuring the growth of the pediatric dentistry community in the future.

VU Patrons Dr. Angelė Matildė Kazlauskas (1935–2020) and Dr. Sigitas Pranas Kazlauskas (1935–2005)

Philanthropists Dr. Angelė Matildė and Dr. Sigitas Pranas Kazlauskas were Lithuanian-Canadian dentists from the Biržai region, who, during the war, fled to the West with their parents while still children. At the University of Toronto, they not only received higher education in dentistry but also met each other – the couple spent many decades together, dedicating both their professional careers and noble goals to improving public dental health. For more than six decades, they lovingly treated patients, including several celebrities, and worked extensively pro bono, providing assistance to those in need.

The couple dedicated their lives to ensuring access to dental services for Lithuanians: they established a support fund, which led to the creation of several dental treatment clinics in Lithuanian towns. They organized numerous shipments of medicines, medical instruments, and supplies to Lithuania, even initiating the "S.O.S. Lietuva" fundraising project for this purpose. After the restoration of Lithuania's independence, they built a network of connections, striving to open opportunities for cooperation and professional development for dentists studying and working in Lithuania.

Through their will, philanthropists A. and S. Kazlauskas expressed their wish for the family's €4.2 million estate to be allocated to support organizations operating in Lithuania. By doing so, they enabled their legacy to be utilized for noble purposes and ensured the continuation of their lifelong dedication to public health. By the decision of the estate executor, Algis Pacevičius, the Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Endowment Sub-fund was established within the VU Foundation, with the investment returns ensuring ongoing funding for the development of pediatric dentistry at VU, as well as improvements in dental studies and research.

The VU Angelė and Sigitas Kazlauskas Pediatric Dentistry Center is located at the VUL Santara Clinics' Žalgiris Clinic branch (Žalgirio St. 117, Vilnius, 2nd floor, Room 234). Children in need of free dental care and treatment services can be registered through one of the available methods: