Get involved in your community

The ODA has many opportunities to help you get involved in your community and improve access to oral health care in Ohio.

Your Involvement Matters!

 

Our programs make it easy for you to provide care and education to people in need. You provide the dental care, and we’ll provide the support!

Give kids a smile

Give Kids a Smile

Through the ADA’s Give Kids A Smile program, launched nationally by the American Dental Association in 2003, more than 6 million underserved children have received free oral health services. These free services are provided by volunteers including approximately 7,000 dentists annually, along with 30,000 other dental team members.

Learn more about how to organize a Give Kids A Smile event in your community to benefit children in need of dental care across Ohio.

Learn more about Give Kids a Smile

Dental OPTIONS

Through Dental OPTIONS, dentists provide care to low-income Ohioans right in their own office. You get to decide which patients to see, and regional referral coordinators handle the paperwork and other administrative tasks of the program. Dental OPTIONS is a partnership with the ODA and the Ohio Department of Health and provides free or reduced-cost dental care to adult Ohioans in need who may not otherwise be able to receive care.

Learn more about Dental OPTIONS

Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment Program

Dentists who practice in areas of Ohio designated as having a dental professional shortage by the Ohio Dept. of Health may be eligible to participate in the Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment Program. The goal of the program is to attract dentists to areas with a low volume of providers to improve access to dental care in those areas while at the same time assisting graduates in paying off their student loan debt.

Learn more about the Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment Program

Report Donated Care

Report your donated care to the ODA! This information assists our lobbying team in advocating for legislation related to dentistry and helps us demonstrate to legislators, the media, and the public the generosity of Ohio dentists.

Click here to report your donated care

Volunteer Connection

Volunteer at a community dental clinic, access to care program or other special events, and earn CE credit! The ODA Volunteer Connection webpage is dedicated to being a clearinghouse of programs in Ohio where dentists can earn volunteer CE.

Learn more about the ODA Volunteer Connection