The UB student chapter of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) is highlighting the fashion flair and creative talents of individuals of all abilities on Jan. 27 during the UB Dental Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show.

It will be held from 6-10 p.m. at the Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter; All proceeds from the show will benefit GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center of Buffalo.

The cost is $25 for UB students and $35 for faculty, staff and members of the community. Everyone must have a ticket to participate, including models, volunteers and audience members. Tickets may be purchased online at the dental school’s website. Admission includes the show, appetizers and dessert. A cash bar will be available.

“The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry strives to improve the quality of health care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This fundraiser is one fun way to achieve that,” says Ava Walch, a third-year dental student and co-president of the UB chapter of the AADMD. She is organizing the show with Paige Warmuth, co-president, who is also a third-year dental student.

Walch and Warmuth invited dental school students, faculty and staff members to walk the runway and showcase their personalities, individual styles and unique cultures with different fashion lines and talent acts.

“We have also invited our friends from GiGi’s Playhouse and Touching Bases Softball League, with whom we volunteered this past year, to join,” Warmuth says. “Both of these organizations create opportunities for people with intellectual and development disabilities, and we are excited to have them at our show this year.”

Fifty-three dental students and two faculty members have signed up so far to walk the runway in clothing that reflects a theme, some of which are divided by students’ year of study in the dental program. For instance, third-year students are planning to model a “Canadian tuxedo line” in full denim. Meanwhile second-year students have adopted a “party animals” theme and first-year students have chosen a “decades theme,” Warmuth says.

This marks the second year for UB’s AADMD chapter to host the Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show. Last year, more than 250 attendees helped raise almost $3,000 for Miles for Smiles of John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital and Special Smiles of the Western New York Special Olympics.

“Our hope is that the sentiment behind promoting inclusivity and facilitating outreach activities and events to people with disabilities will transfer to the dental office,” Warmuth says. “Our goal is to reduce barriers to care that this community faces and create an environment where people with disabilities can receive oral health care in a comfortable way for both the provider and the patient.”