Families are over-extended, budgets are tight, dental care is costly and access to Medicaid providers in Missouri is limited. As a result, low-income children are not visiting the dentist once a year, much less twice annually as recommended. This is contributing to the fact that tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. It is a very real problem, but luckily one that is being proactively addressed in our community by the Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) organization. Each February and October, GKAS organizes two-day dental clinics at Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education. The next clinic is being held Oct. 24 and 25. Comprehensive services will be provided completely free of charge for infants, toddlers and school-aged children up to age 15. Individuals are seen by appointment only. The registration deadline is Oct. 9 and can be completed by calling 636-397-6453.
Comprehensive services include X-rays, professional cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, as well as restorations (fillings), endodontics (root canals) and oral surgery, as needed, by a team of more than 400 dental professional volunteers. Those in need of extensive dental services that cannot be completed within the allotted clinic timeframe can obtain the needed, and often critical, follow-up care at no cost through one of the many private dental offices enrolled in GKAS’s Smile Factories program.
“A wide array of care is provided at our clinics,” commented Anthony Marino, DDS, of Give Kids A Smile. “We see kids with mouths filled with decay who are in need of six, seven or eight fillings, as well as others who are repeat patients and just need a good, thorough cleaning.”
One local mother commented on the extent of the care her daughter received over the years. “I started taking my daughter, Scarleth, to the clinics when she was six or seven,” stated Rossibel Rivera, a resident of St. Ann. “I would bring her in for cleanings and check-ups. When she was eleven, her teeth were on top of each other. Give Kids A Smile put us in contact with Dr. Hayes, an orthodontist in O’Fallon. Scarleth received braces at no charge. Now she volunteers at the Give Kids A Smile clinics as a way to say thank you and give back to the organization for all it has done for her.”
The Give Kids A Smile clinics are open to children who are Medicaid-eligible, qualify for a school lunch program or need dental assistance due to other circumstances. The organization is mindful that many area families unexpectedly come into crisis due to job loss, medical issues, changes in the family dynamics and various other situations that leave them unable to afford dental health care for their kids. All registrations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It is also important to note that while critical care is provided, organizers also work hard to create a non-intimidating, fun-loving environment for visiting children. Founding sponsor Delta Dental of Missouri provides an entertainment area for children after they receive services featuring face painters, balloon artists, games and more.
All visiting children receive prizes, a dental care kit, a nutritious sack lunch and a children’s book donated by the St. Louis County Library Foundation.
Thanks to the financial backing of sponsors and the tireless commitment of the local dental community, GKAS has delivered nearly $6.5 million in free dental care services to more than 13,100 local children at our 25 free dental clinics since 2002.
To learn more about the work of Give Kids A Smile or to register by Oct. 9th for the upcoming clinic, call 636-397-6453 or log on to www.gkas.org.
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 and local supporters including Delta Dental of Missouri, First Pacific Corporation, Goetze Dental, Greater St. Louis Dental Society, Guardian Life Insurance, Keller Dental Laboratory, Missouri Dental Association, Patterson Dental, Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education and Young Dental. National sponsors include Colgate, Henry Shein Dental and DEXIS. Funding is also provided in part by 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.
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For More Information, Contact:
Kelly Harris
The Hauser Group
314.436.9090
or
Joan Allen
Give Kids A Smile
636-397-6453