Media Advisory/Photo Op: "Give Kids a Smile Day" Set for Feb. 4

From the Teddy Bear clinic to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown's proclamation, the University at Buffalo's 10th annual "Give Kids a Smile Day" will be in full swing from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, in the Squire Hall lobby and dental clinics on the first and third floors of the UB School of Dental Medicine on the South Campus.

Brown will attend the event from 10:30-11:30 a.m. to deliver a proclamation endorsing "Give Kids a Smile Day."

The award-winning Teddy Bear clinic will offer health education hands-on activities, dental videos, games, oral hygiene instruction and visits by local sports mascots for the 500 local public school students, including 300 Bethel Head Start children, and their parents while they wait for their dental appointments.

Several hundred volunteers, including UB dental school faculty, staff and students; the Eighth District Dental Society's private dentists and their staffs; and students and faculty from Erie Community College's Dental Hygiene Program and the UB Educational Opportunity Center's Dental Assisting Program, will help with the day's events and services.

The Buffalo event is part of the American Dental Association's national effort to encourage children to adopt good dental health habits early on, so they can avoid major problems later.

Media arrangements: Sara Saldi in the Office of University Communications at 645-4593 and saldi@buffalo.edu or onsite (8:30 a.m. to noon) at 597-8434. Parking is available in the Squire, Tower and Michael-Farber lots.