Bradenton, FL – (January 24, 2018) Bradenton-area children can qualify for free dental services during the Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event on the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) campus Saturday, March 17, 2018.
The GKAS event aims to raise awareness of the consequences of untreated dental disease.
Now in its fourth year, LECOM GKAS offers free services that include dental screenings and cleanings, X-rays and sealants, if needed, minor restorations (fillings) and simple extractions for children ages 2 to 18 who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
About 25 percent of children under age 5 have cavities and many kids enrolled in Medicaid receive no dental services throughout the year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last year, LECOM dental students provided more than $70,000 worth of dental care to almost 200 pediatric patients, and the school hopes to serve more children this year. The event will be hosted by LECOM’s chapter of the American Student Dental Association, the student counterpart to the American Dental Association.
The GKAS event will be held at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine, 4800 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m..
Please call for an appointment at the LECOM School of Dental Medicine at (941) 254-1698 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or email lecomgkas@gmail.com. Walk-ins will be treated on a first-come-first served basis.
The Give Kids A Smile program was launched nationally in 2003 as a way for dentists to provide dental services to underserved children. Each year, about 350,000 to 400,000 children benefitted from more than 1,500 events nationally, all because of the efforts of 40,000 or more volunteers nationwide.
For information on the program, visit www.adafoundation.org/en/give-kids-a-smile.