Celebrating Give Kids A Smile
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Posted May 14, 2008 |
By Craig Palmer Washington—They threw a party in the nation's capital May 13 to honor champions of oral health and millions of smiles.
"And I welcome you to the first of what I hope will be many annual ADA Foundation Give Kids A Smile Award Galas," ADA President Mark J. Feldman told some 350 invited GKAS partners. A six-piece salon orchestra entertained gala guests at a reception in the "Wow" setting of the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in the Federal Triangle.
"Little did we know when we started down this road in 2003 that this GKAS program would reach millions of children and involve hundreds of thousands of volunteers," he said. "Before we begin dinner tonight I want to recognize the man who started this incredible program on the local level with an event in St. Louis, Dr. Jeff Dalin," who stood to a round of applause.
"When we launched Give Kids A Smile, we had two goals. First, we wanted to care for as many underserved children as possible. But just as important we wanted to build a platform from which we could demonstrate the need for better access to oral health care for our most vulnerable children. We wanted the public and public policy makers to know that access is a serious problem for some in this country and that no amount of charity care will solve this problem."
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| Recognition: Dr. Feldman (left) presents two members of Congress, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (left photograph) and Rep. Mike Simpson (right photograph) with the ADA's First Oral Health Advocacy Awards. (Photos by Bill Geiger) |
A benefit for the Give Kids A Smile Fund, the gala honored three members of Congress "for their efforts to improve oral health." Steve Kess, Henry Schein, Inc., vice president for global professional relations and GKAS National Advisory Board chair, announced the first round of GKAS growth grants. Gala proceeds will support the grant program within the ADA Foundation.
Dr. Feldman recognized the two members of Congress who received awards at the gala, dentist/Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), "a true go-to-guy on the Hill," and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), "a champion for improving the nation's oral health."
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Back row, left to right: Dr. Gary Dwight, Senator Stabenow, MDA President Dr. Joanne Dawley, MDA Trustee Dr. Zelton Johnson.
Seated, left to right: MDA Executive Director Drew Eason, MDA Trustee Martin Makowski, MDA Vice President Dr. Gary Jeffers
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A Washington Leadership Conference delegation from the Michigan Dental Association later presented the third award to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) in her Senate office. She introduced a resolution passed unanimously by the Senate congratulating the dentists, other volunteers and corporations that participate in Give Kids A Smile.
The House of Representatives awardees thanked the profession for the opportunity to promote oral health in the U.S. Congress.
"The ADA has done a good job of making Congress aware that kids are falling through the safety net," said Rep. Pallone, who chairs a House health subcommittee.
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Elegance: The Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, site of the Give Kids A Smile Awards Gala.
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"Most notably, he secured the dental benefit in House-passed State Children's Health Insurance Program legislation," said Dr. Feldman.
Said Rep. Simpson, "It is an honor for me to represent the dental profession." In a bipartisan spirit, he added, "We need people like Frank (Pallone). I work with him and appreciate the fact that you recognized that tonight."
Each received a decoupage box with antique photos from Washington's federal period.
Give Kids A Smile program growth grant recipients included the Arizona Dental Foundation; Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Give Kids A Smile Dental Society of Chester County & Delaware County, Paoli, Pa.; Toledo (Ohio) Dental Society, Kids Smiles, Philadelphia, and Give Kids A Smile-St. Louis, St. Peters, Mo. The New York State Dental Foundation also announced grants to six organizations.
The program listed the gala supporters:
- Premier sponsors: Care Credit, Johnson & Johnson, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.;
- Benefactors: Henry Schein Dental, Danaher, Colgate-Palmolive, DenTek;
- Patron: American Academy of Periodontology, Care Credit;
- Sponsor: Dentsply, Howard University College of Dentistry, Team Smile, American Dental Education Association, Cadbury Schwepps, Premier Dental Products Co., Henry Schein Cares.
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