Dentists to provide care to kids in need at 2019 Give Kids A Smile events
The 2019 Give Kids A Smile Ohio kickoff event will take place at Butler Tech Bioscience Center in West Chester on Gives Kids A Smile Day, which is Feb. 1.
The 2019 Give Kids A Smile Ohio kickoff event will take place at Butler Tech Bioscience Center in West Chester on Give Kids A Smile Day, which is Feb. 1.
At the event, volunteer dentists from the Keely Dental Society will partner with dental assisting students to provide free dental care, including exams, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride treatments and sealants. Care and oral health education will be provided to up to 100 children in need from the Rosa Parks Elementary School in Middletown.
Legislators from the Butler County area will be invited to attend the kickoff and receive a tour of the event and speak to children and volunteer dentists.
“The event is one of many ways that the ODA and its members pay it forward,” said ODA President Dr. Michael Halasz. “Not only does it show that Ohio dentists care about needy kids, it gives these kids access to quality dental treatment that they desperately need.”
Through the Give Kids A Smile program, created by the American Dental Association, dentists and dental professionals across the state and nation volunteer their time throughout the year to provide screenings, treatments and oral health education to children.
In 2019, more than 2,330 dentists and volunteers plan to hold 158 Give Kids A Smile events across Ohio and donate $1.4 million in dental care to 38,200 children.
Since GKAS began 16 years ago, more than $14.5 million in donated care and education has been provided to more than 272,000 children in Ohio. During that time, the following services were identified and donated to Ohio children at GKAS events:
- 62,375 oral exams
- 6,056 fillings
- 1,317 extractions
- 409 crowns
- 248 root canals/pulpotomies
- 58,545 preventive procedures
Dental offices can plan GKAS events for any time throughout the year.
GKAS activities include free dental care and/or free oral health education for children. Many dental offices hold qualifying events already and should register these activities as GKAS to receive product support, volunteer CE for dentists and hygienists providing free dental care and promotional materials. Oral health education activities in schools and other community settings also qualify for GKAS, including events that do not involve a dentist.
To register an event, go to https://gkas.ada.org/sign-up.
GKAS events can be educational, screening, preventative or restorative!
Share your Give Kids A Smile photos with the ODA!
The Ohio Dental Association would like dentists to submit photos of their Give Kids A Smile programs from across the state. Whether events are held on Feb. 1 for Give Kids A Smile Day or later in the year, the ODA would like photos from all types of events.
Pictures of GKAS program participants, including candid pictures, pictures of children, dentists and team members interacting, clinical photos and more are all welcome. Please note that if dentists and dental team members are providing care to patients, they should be wearing gloves, masks, protective eyewear and gowns in photos. Please also be sure to have consent from all people pictured in the photo. If you are using a smartphone to take photos, please check your settings to ensure the photos are high resolution.
The ODA will consider these photos for use on Facebook, Twitter, in the “ODA Today” and in other promotional and informational materials. Please email photos to jackie@oda.org.
