Ohio Give Kids A Smile tops $5 million mark
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Posted Feb. 6, 2009 |
By Stacie Crozier Cleveland—Today, Ohio dental volunteers will surpass the $5 million mark in free dental services donated for Give Kids A Smile since the national program began in 2003.
According to Dr. Burton Job, an Akron, Ohio, dentist and president of the Ohio Dental Association, access to care remains the state's No. 1 unmet health care need—and this should be considered by those who affect state policy.
"GKAS is not only about providing free dental care," said Dr. Job. "It also educates legislators about how their policymaking impacts the health of all Ohioans. It is important that they understand that good oral health is an integral part of good overall health."
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| Big hit: Slider, the Cleveland Indians mascot, has some fun with children from John Raper Elementary School waiting for their dental visit at the Give Kids A Smile event at Case School of Dental Medicine Feb. 6. (Photos by Joseph W. Darwal Photography) |
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Policymaker visit: Ohio State Senator Nina Turner, left, pauses to speak to a child from John Raper Elementary School as Dr. Nivine El-Refai, a Cleveland endodontist and GKAS volunteer, looks on. |
The ODA rocked Cleveland with its 2009 statewide GKAS launch today at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. Close to 300 children from John Raper and Scranton Elementary schools received dental examinations and preventive care. Kids were treated to visits by Cleveland Indians mascot Slider, Cavaliers mascot Moondog, CWRU's mascot Spartan, Colgate mascot Dr. Rabbit and the Tooth Fairy. Case men and women athletes were also on hand for the clinic day.
"For more than 100 years, Case School of Dental Medicine has been committed to advancing the oral health of the Cleveland community and engaging students in the professional duty of caring for the underserved who do not have or know how to access dental care," said Dr. Jerold Goldberg, dean. "Give Kids A Smile Day is among the activities at the dental school to further this mission."
Also today in Cleveland, 40 Head Start students received dental treatment at the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Tapper Pediatric Dental Center.
Earlier this week, the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures mobile dental unit visited three Cleveland elementary schools and a local Boys & Girls Club. About 1,000 children received dental screenings and goodie bags filled with oral care products.
Nearly 100 GKAS events were held throughout the state on Feb. 6, involving more than 1,600 volunteers who will provide $1.1 million in dental care.
GKAS volunteers and donors include the ODA; Greater Cleveland Dental Society; Case faculty, staff and students; the ADA; national sponsors Colgate, Henry Schein Dental and Dexis Digital X-ray Systems Inc.; Delta Dental Foundation; and Kerr Sybron Dental Specialties.
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