You can easily register over the phone for any volunteer clinics running in your area.
Getting to the dentist can be hard to do. There has to be time in your schedule, a dentist you feel comfortable working with and, moreover, the dollars in your budget to cover the visit.
A simple cleaning and having a few cavities filled- if you have them- can add up quickly to hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
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And so, it’s easy to see why some parents simply avoid going. But this February, that could change.
Friday, February 2nd is national Give Kids a Smile Day (GKAS), and this means that free dental care will be available to kids all day, at various locations throughout the U.S.
Annual Event
And that’s just the beginning. Every year, the first Friday in February marks the annual kick off of thousands of free GKAS oral health events that will take place throughout the year.
Launched back in 2003 by the American Dental Association (ADA.), the goal of Give Kids a Smile is to address the dental health crisis that exists in the U.S today.
According to the CDC, over 18% of children aged 5 to 19 years are currently walking around with untreated cavities. But help is available.
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Since 2003, more than 5.5 million children have been cared for through GKAS, by more than half a million volunteers, with a total of approximately 10,000 dentists and 30,000 dental team members providing free oral health education, screenings, and treatment to underserved children in America.
Looking for a free dental check-up?
Check out the Give Kids a Smile Facebook page. Call the ADA’s toll-free number for Give Kids A Smile: 1-844-490-GKAS (4527) (8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday – Friday) and find out about GKAS events taking place in your community.
Callers can contact a GKAS program directly to find out about available spaces, services offered and exact dates. To volunteer with Give Kids a Smile, click here.
Photo credits: wowsty/Shutterstock.com
