01/22/2010
ODA member dentists plan GKAS events around the state

Liz Long
Staff Writer

Over 700 Ohio Dental Association dentists and 1,400 volunteers are expected to provide free dental services to underserved children around Ohio for the eighth annual Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) program, which will kick-off in Cincinnati on Friday, Feb. 5.

Events are planned at 75 different sites and in all 25 local component dental societies. While component societies such as Akron, Cincinnati, Corydon Palmer and Toledo will host large scale events for the day, dentists and dental students throughout Ohio will travel to schools to provide dental education and screenings and open their own office doors to children in need on Friday, Feb. 5 and throughout the year.

Here is a look at what several ODA members and component societies are doing in dental offices and communities for the event.

Central Ohio Dental Society
Central Ohio Dental Society member dentists will travel to sites in their communities and open their office doors in February and throughout the year for local GKAS program events.

ODA member dentist Dr. Darryl Scott has been providing free dental care to underserved children in his Loudonville, Ohio, office for Give Kids a Smile events for the last five years.

"Taking care of local children is an important part of our practice," Scott said.

This year, Scott will open his office doors alongside his son, Dr. Tyler Scott, a 2009 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, on Friday, Feb. 5.

They will provide any needed dental treatment that can be completed on that day to underserved children from local elementary and middle schools ranging from five to twelve years old at no cost.

"We have seen around 50 children a year for the past two years," said Scott.

However, Scott anticipates seeing more children this year, as there is an even greater need with the economic downturn.

Other Central Ohio Dental Society members holding events include Drs. Irene Lin, Glen McMurray and Autumn Sackett.

Lin will go into local Head Start schools to screen about 200 children and provide oral hygiene instruction and oral care products.

McMurray and Sackett, who are new to the GKAS program this year, will open their Bucyrus, Ohio, office doors. They expect to see 50 children in their office for exams, cleanings, preventive and restorative treatment.

Columbus Dental Society
Members from the Columbus Dental Society will hold Give Kids a Smile events with The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and in private dental offices beginning on Friday, Feb. 5 and continuing throughout the year.

Jeff Price, a third-year dental student at the College of Dentistry, is coordinating the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) event with the OSU College of Dentistry at Avalon Elementary school on Friday, Feb. 5.

"Ninety-five percent of the kids there are on the free lunch program," Price said, "so we know they come from a low socioeconomic status (SES) household."

On Friday, Feb. 5, 15 students from the OSU College of Dentistry are expected to see 250-300 kindergarten through fifth grade students, totaling approximately $9,000 in free care.

"We will be providing screenings, applying fluoride varnish, educating the kids and providing the kids with goody bags filled with hygiene products and informative posters and pamphlets," Price said.

It is also expected that the Ohio State University's Dental HOME (Health Outreach Mobile Experience) Coach and dental volunteers will return to the school at a later date to help provide an additional $2,500 in free dental care.

"The children will be referred for follow-up treatment if they need it," Price said.

This will be the third year the OSU chapter of ASDA will participate in Give Kids a Smile activities with ODA member dentists.

"The dental students love to participate in the program, and the kids love all the goodies we give them to take home," Price said.

Columbus Dental Society members and students from the OSU College of Dentistry will also provide 1,400 screenings and fluoride varnishes at Columbus Head Start programs.

Five other GKAS events will take place in private dental offices in Dublin, Hilliard, Pickerington and Groveport. Dentists holding events in their private offices include, Drs. David Conrad, Sacheen Garrison, Faith Madden, Aparna Sadineni, Siddhi Patel and Titilola Anya.

Rehwinkel Dental Society
Member dentists from the Rehwinkel Dental Society will treat underserved children in their Hillsboro and New Market offices in February and throughout the year.

Hillsboro dentists Drs. Robert Ross and Timothy Brunacini and their office staff will open their practice again this year to treat underserved children on the afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 4.

Ross and Brunacini have opened their office doors with their staff to children in need of free care for the last 25 years. However, with the current economic downturn, Ross said he has seen a greater need for free dental treatment in his community and from his patient base in the last year.

DHL, an international shipping company and large local employer closed their Wilmington, Ohio, hub in 2009.

"We had a lot of hardship in our county because of DHL," Ross said. "Many patients lost their insurance and could no longer afford treatment."

Ross said he expects to draw over 40 children from his patient base ranging from three to twelve years old on the afternoon of Feb. 4. Children will receive a range of free services including, restorative care, exams, prophylaxis and fluoride treatments.

"If the treatment involves more than what can be done on that day then we will continue as needed," Ross said.

Ross said he and Brunacini and their office enjoy providing free treatment to children in need of free care.

"That is what you are supposed to do in a community," Ross said. "These kids have no other way to go."

Other dentists holding GKAS events in their private dental offices in Hillsboro and New Market include Drs. Daniel Clark, Lesia Langston, Dalton Thomas, Philip Burwinkel and Ann Burwinkel-McKenzie.

Stark County Dental Society
Member dentists from the Stark County Dental Society will provide free exams and oral hygiene instruction to children in local schools and provide dental treatment in private dental offices to underserved children through this year's GKAS program.

Laura deForest, executive director of the Stark County Dental Society, said Give Kids a Smile is an important event each year for two reasons.

"Firstly, to help those underserved children in the community to obtain a free dental exam and then to get those families referred to and established with a family dentist," she said. "And secondly, to provide dental education to the students."

This year, dentists will go to eight Canton City schools, including some pre-schools, and to six other Canton Local schools on Friday, Feb. 5 to provide free screenings and oral hygiene instruction to pre-school through third grade children.

deForest said the schools are anticipating a higher number of children than in previous years. The group will see 2,100 children in the schools, and children in need of additional treatment will be referred back to a dental practice for follow-up treatment.

"Those requiring 'urgent' or 'needs to be seen soon' care will have a letter go home to their parents," deForest said. "Parents can then call the Stark County Dental Society for a referral."

Dentists from the Stark County Dental Society have been involved in the Give Kids a Smile program since its inception.

"The dentists of Stark County and surrounding areas look forward to participating in this event each year and are happy for the opportunity to give back to their communities," deForest said.

Give Kids a Smile
Give Kids a Smile is the annual center piece to National Children's Dental Health Month, an initiative by the American Dental Association focusing on providing oral health education to all children regardless of their economic status.

Through 2010 GKAS events, it is anticipated that over 15,000 underserved Ohio children will receive more than $1.1 million in donated dental services.

Submissions
Submit your GKAS event photos and information to be featured in ODA Today. Coverage of Give Kids a Smile day events will run in the March and April issues of ODA Today.

The coverage will include stories, photos and general event information. A list of Give Kids a Smile day volunteers will also be included.

If you would like to submit photos or information about your event, contact ODA Today Managing Editor Sarah Surface at sarah@oda.org or (800) 282-1526 by Feb. 19.