Give Kids A Smile Ohio kickoff at OSU College of Dentistry to provide free dental care to kids
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University College of Dentistry is joining with the Ohio Dental Association to host the 2017 Give Kids A Smile Ohio kickoff. The Give Kids A Smile program is a collaborative effort among the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association and other state and component dental societies throughout the U.S. to provide dental care and oral health education to children without dental coverage. State legislators are expected to attend the event to meet with College of Dentistry Dean Patrick Lloyd and Ohio Dental Association President Dr. Kevin Laing to learn more about dental education and access to dental care in Ohio.
Dental student and dentist volunteers from the OSU College of Dentistry will offer free dental care to children without dental insurance on Feb. 4 from 8 a.m. until noon. Services offered will be preventive services such as cleanings and fluoride treatments and restorative services such as fillings and extractions as needed.
The OSU College of Dentistry is located at Postle Hall 305 W. 12th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210. Patients will be seen by appointment only and parents should call 614-688-3763 to reserve an appointment for Give Kids A Smile. Complimentary parking will be provided in the 12th Avenue garage for patients. About 100 children are expected to receive dental care at the event.
“While it is a great educational institution for the next generation of dentists, the OSU College of Dentistry is also a wonderful resource in Central Ohio for those needing dental care,” Laing said. “We are excited to bring more attention to the college, which has provided more than $100,000 of free dental care through Give Kids A Smile events since 2013. We hope that by bringing Ohio’s policymakers to this event, we can show that through proper funding of safety net dental clinics and Medicaid, all Ohioans can enjoy improved oral health.”
Through the Give Kids A Smile program, dentists and dental professionals across the state and nation volunteer their time to provide screenings, treatments and oral health education to children. This event is part of the Ohio Dental Association’s celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Give Kids A Smile program. Across Ohio, more than $12 million in donated dental care and oral health education has been provided since 2003. Throughout 2017, more than 1,900 dentists, dental professionals and educators will volunteer to educate children about good oral health and provide dental services to Ohio’s underserved children through Give Kids A Smile.