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Nearly 466,000 underserved children nationwide received free oral health services through 2009 Give Kids A Smile, thanks to the generosity of the programs sponsors—Henry Schein Dental, Colgate-Palmolive Co. and DEXIS Digital X-ray Systems.

"Enrolled through their schools, dental societies and other community groups, the children received X-rays, fillings, cleanings, sealants, educational materials, dental hygiene products and more, all free of charge," said Dr. John S. Findley, ADA president. "The generosity of three national sponsors supported the massive effort again this year. Thanks to them, 90 percent of GKAS registered requesters providing services received free product to help care for the kids."

Henry Schein Dental provided 3,000 professional dental product kits containing items such as gloves, masks, patient bibs, prophy paste, floss, fluoride gel, fluoride foam, fluoride varnish and fluoride trays. Each kit contains enough items to serve 50 children.

"Team Schein has recognized the transformational impact of good oral health on patients of all ages through our support of numerous social responsibility access to care programs both here in the United States and around the world," said Tim Sullivan, president, Henry Schein Dental. "The ADA Give Kids A Smile program gives us a national initiative that allows all of Team Schein and more than 40 strategic vendor partners to annually demonstrate our support of the dental team's commitment to providing access to the underserved throughout our country. It's a perfect alignment of our Henry Schein Cares program and that of the dental community. We look forward to many more years of participation and support."

Colgate-Palmolive Co. supplied 300,000 toothbrushes and 300,000 tubes of toothpaste for children at Give Kids A Smile events.

"Colgate Palmolive Co. is extremely proud to be the consumer products sponsor of GKAS, providing toothpaste, toothbrushes and educational materials for all children participating in local events," said Dr. Fotinos S. Panagakos, director of Professional Relations, Colgate-Palmolive Co. "The GKAS program fits perfectly within the company's efforts in supporting oral health care and education to children world wide, as Colgate has been providing for over 25 years with our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program. "

DEXIS Digital X-ray provided one DEXIS Digital X-ray System to each of the 56 U.S. dental schools requesting its help for Give Kids A Smile, as well as support staff to assist in taking X-rays.

"We are a founding sponsor of Give Kids A Smile because of the power of one," said Candy Ross, DEXIS director of clinical affairs. "One man believed and would not give up his dream to help children find dental care. What greater honor than to be able to support someone's dream and have that dream turn into a national campaign that is effecting change in Washington, D.C. This is the good stuff in life!"

The vision of Dr. Jeff Dalin and his colleague Dr. Ray Storm, Give Kids A Smile was launched in February 2002 by the Greater St. Louis Dental Society and a group of dentists who set up a temporary full-service clinic that treated nearly 400 children over two days. Dr. Dalin quickly shared that success story and urged the ADA to make the program national in 2003, and it has since grown enormously.

So far in 2009, 1,700 participating programs have reported donating dental care valued at $30,607,298. A total of 12,513 dentists and 32,897 other volunteers reached out to help almost 466,000 children in need.