The ADA News (2/1, Manchir) reports that the ADA Foundation’s 16th annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program kicks off today at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, where dental students, supervised by dental faculty, are expected to provide dental care to more than 200 underserved children. In addition, GKAS events will take place across the country. “For many kids, a Give Kids A Smile event is their first real dental experience, and we want it to be a great first experience for them so that taking care of their smiles becomes a lifelong habit,” said ADA President Joseph P. Crowley. The article highlights the Ohio Dental Association’s involvement in the event in Columbus and other GKAS events throughout the state. “Ohio State’s 2018 Give Kids A Smile program is a perfect example of our profession coming together, and bringing together others who have valuable skills and talents to share, to generate better health outcomes for kids in need,” said Dr. William R. Calnon, president of the ADA Foundation. National sponsors, including Henry Schein Dental, Colgate, and KaVo Kerr, help make the GKAS program possible.

For more information about Give Kids A Smile, and to see a complete list of companies that donate supplies, visit the GKAS page, and for the latest news, visit the GKAS Facebook page and follow the ADA on Twitter. To tag or follow GKAS social media posts, use the hashtag #GKAS.

The Give Kids A Smile kickoff also serves as the anchor event of the ADA’s National Children’s Dental Health Month. To learn more about this, visit ADA.org/NCDHM.

This year Dr. Lonnette Breneman participated in the Give Kids a Smile program at CVTC on February 9th.  It is the 15th year Dr. Lonnette has participated in the event.