Give Kids A Smile today announced registration is now open for its 30th consecutive free dental health care clinic for kids set for Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29, at Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education. Over this two-day period, the organization has the capacity and resources to provide comprehensive dental services, completely free of charge, for up to 600 toddlers and school-aged children, through 8th grade, who are in need. Medicaid-eligible children, as well as those who qualify for a school lunch program or need dental assistance due to other circumstances can be registered by calling Give Kids A Smile at 636-397-6453.
“We have delivered around $8 million worth of dental care to almost 15,000 children during our last 29 clinics,” said Jeffrey B. Dalin, DDS, who is a co-founder of Give Kids A Smile and the organization’s secretary/treasurer. “These are kids who would not otherwise have access to dental care. We are very proud of what we have accomplished here in St Louis, but we know that our work is nowhere near complete. There are still far too many children out there who are having tooth pain, are not eating properly, can’t sleep well, and are having problems at school due to dental issues. We are here to help.”
Each child registered to attend the upcoming clinic will receive X-rays, professional cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, as well as fillings, root canals and oral surgery, as needed. Organizers also work hard to create a non-intimidating, fun-filled environment for the kids. Founding sponsor Delta Dental of Missouri provides an entertainment area for children after they receive services, featuring face painters, balloon artists, games and more. Delta Dental’s Tooth Wizard strolls the clinic floor, along with a Spanish-speaking Tooth Fairy who helps communicate to non-English speaking children. And, each child goes home with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss, as well as a free book courtesy of the St. Louis County Library Foundation.
“To this day, tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood,” said Thomas C. Flavin, DDS, president and co-founder of Give Kids A Smile. “While we at Give Kids A Smile are proud of our accomplishments over the past 15 years, both locally and at the national level, we also realize that no amount of charity will solve the problem of access to dental care. When nearly one in two children in St. Louis live in poverty, and 80% of tooth decay occurs in our poorest population, there will always be a need for Give Kids A Smile.”
Flavin added, “Everyone deserves access to care. No one should suffer from the pain and embarrassment of poor oral health because they can’t afford or find care.”
To learn more about the work of Give Kids A Smile, or to register for the upcoming clinic, call 636-397-6453 or log on to www.gkas.org. The registration process includes the completion of health history and consent forms. Appointments are given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Give Kids A Smile was developed by Jeffrey Dalin, DDS; B. Ray Storm, DDS; Tom Flavin, DDS; Mark Ortinau, DDS and Jan Storm, RDHB, in February 2002 to provide children of families who cannot afford dental care with access to the benefits of dental services. GKAS is made possible thanks to major contributors including Delta Dental of Missouri and the Missouri Foundation for Health, which is a philanthropic organization whose vision is to improve the health of the people in the communities it serves. Other supporters include William R. Orthwein, Jr. and Laura Rand Orthwein Foundation, Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education, Young Dental, Colgate-Palmolive Company, DEXIS, First Pacific Corporation, Greater St. Louis Dental Society, Henry Shein Dental, Keller Dental Laboratory, Patterson Dental, Cardinals Care and Cuivre River Community Trust.
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For more information, contact:
Kelly Harris
(314) 436-9090