Media Advisory/Photo Op: "Give Kids a Smile Day" Takes Place on Feb. 3

BUFFFALO, N.Y. -- Dental exams for Teddy Bears and a proclamation by Mayor Byron Brown will be just a few of the highlights when the University at Buffalo holds its 11th annual "Give Kids a Smile Day" from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, in the Squire Hall lobby and dental clinics on the first and third floors of the dental school on UB's South Campus.

South Campus Maps

Mayor Brown will be in attendance, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., to deliver a proclamation endorsing "Give Kids a Smile Day." More than 600 local school-age students, including 400 Head Start children, will visit the UB dental school for the event.

While the Head Start students wait for their dental appointments, the award-winning UB Teddy Bear clinic will offer hands-on activities, dental videos, games, oral health instruction and visits by local sports mascots.

The event is a partnership with the American Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association and the 8th District Dental Society.

Several hundred volunteers, including UB dental school faculty, staff and students; private dentists and their staff; and students and faculty from Erie Community College's Dental Hygiene Program and Equal Opportunity Center's Dental Assisting Program, are donating their time to provide dental care.

The Buffalo event is part of a national effort to motivate children to adopt good dental health habits early, in order to prevent major problems later.

Media arrangements: Sara Saldi in the UB 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. (On the online map, Squire Hall is number 19 and its lot is right next to it; Farber Hall is 25 and Michael Hall is 26 and their lot is between them.)