UK HealthCare

UK College of Dentistry Gives Kids a Healthy Smile

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 7, 2011) The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry is providing free dental care for underserved children as part of the American Dental Association's "Give Kids a Smile" program. The event will be held from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 12th in the College of Dentistry's second and third floor dental clinics.
 

"Give Kids a Smile" is an annual one-day volunteer initiative to provide free education, preventive and restorative services to children from low-income families. Thousands of dentists across the country will take time to help underserved children who aren't getting the oral health care they need.
 

“I am proud of our students and faculty for getting behind this effort to help children and raise the awareness of the importance of oral health as a part of total health,” said Sharon Turner, dean of the UK College of Dentistry.
 

This is the first year that the College of Dentistry is participating in the ADA Give Kids a Smile program, which was initiated and organized by Debra Mattox, college events coordinator and Fonda Robinson, associate dean of Clinical Affairs in the College of Dentistry.
 

“Our Mission for all citizens in the Commonwealth centers around creating smiles," Robinson said. "This event is all about making kids SMILE. The College of Dentistry has 95 excited volunteers who have come together to provide free oral health care to 100 underprivileged children in our own community!”
 

One of those volunteers is Ross Cook, a third year dental student.
 

"Events like Give Kids a Smile and our Saturday Morning Clinics give us as dental students more opportunities to work with children. We're also given the chance to make a child's first dental experience a positive one."
 

Registration will take place on the first floor of the college beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. Up to 100 patients ages 4-12, will be seen and treated. All patients must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Guardians must provide documentation of guardianship.
 

For more information about the event, please call (859) 323-6525. Parking is available in the UK HealthCare Parking Garage located at 110 Transcript Avenue with free shuttle service provided. Parking tickets will receive a validation stamp for a reduced price.