School of Dental Medicine Hosts Third Annual "Give UB a Smile Day"

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A free dental check up and cleaning will be available to UB employees and students at the third annual, "Give UB a Smile Day" hosted by the School of Dental Medicine on Saturday, February 18 beginning at 9 a.m. in the UB dental school clinics.

Online registration is at https://dental.buffalo.edu/Patients/GiveUBaSmileDay.aspx from February 3 to February 15 and is limited to 268 registrants with a UBIT name and password who are not currently or were not previously dental school patients and who do not have complete dentures. Employees and students will be seen during four 90 minute appointment times: 9:00 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 10:40 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

"Give UB a Smile Day is the School of Dental Medicine's way of letting the UB community know that they can receive affordable, quality dental care right here on campus." said Don Antonson, DDS, interim associate dean for clinical affairs and facilitator of the half-day event.

School of Dental Medicine faculty and students give up their free time on a Saturday to provide this service that saves UB employees and students $82, the clinic's standard charge for an initial visit (private dentists charge approximately $200 for the same service). The UB dental school normally charges one-third to two-thirds the amount of a customary private dental fee, Antonson says. The waiting time for a new patient appointment is approximately two weeks.

"Last year's event brought many individuals into the dental school from the UB community who had never visited our facility in the past. It's also a great morale builder for the dental school's students, faculty and staff," said Antonson.

Patients who may need further care will be given a $25 voucher toward a future UB dental school appointment. Selected patients may be invited to receive additional free dental care.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.