A Reason to Smile
Meet Special Smiles Clinical Director, Dr. Matt Cielinski
April 15, 2026
There are moments Special Olympics New Hampshire’s State Summer Games that happen just off to the side of the competition.
No starting gun. No scoreboard. No crowd noise.
Just a chair, a light, and a conversation that can change everything.
That’s where you’ll often find Matt Cielinski—quietly helping athletes take care of something just as important as their performance on the field: their health.
More Than a Screening
Through the Special Smiles® discipline of Healthy Athletes, athletes receive free dental screenings, oral health education, fluoride varnish, and guidance on brushing and flossing techniques. For many, it’s more than a quick check-up—it’s access to care they may not otherwise receive.
Behind the scenes, it’s a coordinated effort of dental professionals, students, and volunteers working together to create a space that is welcoming, educational, and impactful.
And for nearly three decades, Dr. Cielinski has been part of that effort in here New Hampshire.
Where It All Began
His journey with Special Smiles started not in New Hampshire, but during his time at Boston University, where he was studying dentistry.
It was there that he was introduced to the program in its early days, volunteering alongside Dr. Stephen Perlman. What began as a student experience quickly became something more lasting.
After relocating to New Hampshire, he stayed involved.
And then kept showing up.
Year after year.
Today, that commitment spans approximately 28 years.
From Volunteer to Leader
Like many volunteers, Dr. Cielinski started by simply stepping in where needed—serving as a dental screener and recorder during events.
Over time, his role evolved into something much larger.
Now, as Clinical Director for Special Smiles in New Hampshire, he helps plan, organize, and oversee the entire program—ensuring that every athlete who walks through the screening area is met with care, respect, and expertise.
But ask him why he keeps coming back, and the answer isn’t about logistics.
It’s about people.
The athletes. The volunteers. The students and faculty from partners like NHTI and the University of New England who continue to show up and learn alongside him.
Care That Goes Beyond the Day
In his full-time role as a general dentist, Dr. Cielinski has spent nearly 25 years serving patients in southwestern New Hampshire, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
That same philosophy carries into Special Smiles.
Because while screenings happen in a single day, their impact often stretches much further.
Healthy Athletes helps identify issues that might otherwise go unnoticed—and just as importantly, it helps connect athletes with providers who can continue their care beyond the event.
It’s a bridge.
One that turns a moment into something lasting.
The Moments That Stay With You
Ask any longtime volunteer, and they’ll tell you—it’s the moments that keep you coming back.
For Dr. Cielinski, one stands out.
During a screening, his team identified an athlete with a significant dental issue. They were able to connect him with a local dentist who provided treatment.
The following year, that same athlete returned.
Proud. Smiling. Eager to show off his repaired tooth.
A small moment on the surface.
But underneath it? Confidence. Relief. A reminder that something as simple as access to care can change how someone shows up in the world.
Why Healthy Athletes Matters
Healthy Athletes is more than a collection of screenings.
It’s a system of support.
It provides critical data that helps shape programs and better serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It delivers direct care across disciplines like dental health, vision, hearing, and fitness. And it creates opportunities for education—for athletes and clinicians alike.
For athletes, it helps remove barriers so they can perform at their best.
For clinicians, it offers something equally powerful: connection, purpose, and impact.
As Dr. Cielinski puts it, it’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in your profession.
Looking Ahead to Summer Games
This year, there’s an added sense of excitement.
Special Smiles is gearing up to welcome more athletes, more volunteers, and more moments that matter than ever before.
For Dr. Cielinski, it’s about reconnecting—with familiar faces, with fellow volunteers, and with the mission that’s kept him coming back for nearly three decades.
And for athletes heading into Summer Games, it’s an opportunity to take care of their health in a way that supports everything they do—on and off the field.
A Seat at the Table (and the Chair)
If you’re an athlete or coach attending Summer Games, consider stopping by Healthy Athletes.
If you’re a clinician or student in the dental field, there’s a place for you here, too.
Because sometimes the most powerful part of sport isn’t just the competition.
It’s what happens just beyond it—where someone takes the time to care, to connect, and to make sure every athlete has a reason to smile. 😄
