News
‘Smile Day’ set for Feb. 3
About 600 children who don’t have regular access to dental care take part each year in UB’s “Give Kids a Smile Day.” Photo: MARK MULVILLE
The School of Dental Medicine will mark 11 years of providing free treatment to Western New York children who don’t have access to dental care when it holds its annual “Give Kids a Smile Day” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 3 in Squire Hall, South Campus.
This year, the UB Department of Pediatric Dentistry’s off-campus office on Abbott Road in Buffalo also will participate in the event.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown will deliver a proclamation in Squire Hall endorsing “Give Kids a Smile Day” and encouraging those who don’t have a dentist to use the UB dental school to find a dental home.
Approximately 600 school children, including those from Head Start centers, will receive a free dental exam, fluoride treatment, X-rays, sealants and oral hygiene instruction.
Upon leaving the UB clinics, children will be given a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and instructions on how to keep their teeth healthy. Limited restorative dental work will be available, as well as additional treatment or consultation as needed.
Parents and children will be offered tours of the dental clinics, hands-on activities, dental videos and oral hygiene instruction.
Among the several hundred volunteers who will keep the day running smoothly are UB dental school faculty, staff and students; private local dentists and their staffs; faculty and students from Erie Community College’s Dental Hygiene Program and the UB Equal Opportunity Center’s Dental Assisting Program.
The UB event is part of a national effort to motivate children to adopt good dental health habits early in order to prevent major problems later in life.
The event is a partnership with the American Dental Association and the 8th District Dental Society.
Reader Comments