On Saturday, Feb. 11, 140 children will receive free dental care in Milford as part of the Give Kids A Smile program, a nationwide program launched by the American Dental Association in 2003 that brings dentists and other volunteers together to provide much-needed dental services to underserved children throughout the United States.
Here in Delaware, for the 14th straight year, the Delaware State Dental Society will sponsor this annual program that over the years has provided a total of $687,447 of dentistry to 1,917 local children who desperately need it. The children receive oral health screenings, and comprehensive preventive and restorative treatments.
Give Kids A Smile seeks to raise awareness of the epidemic of untreated dental disease occurring locally and nationally. The numbers are staggering. Nearly one in four children under 5 already has cavities. Unfortunately, many Delaware children do not take advantage of the excellent coverage they could receive through enrollment in the Medicaid program. Delaware has one of the nation's highest percentages of dentist participation in its state's Medicaid program.
Most dental disease is preventable and prevention starts with adults. When adults take advantage of preventive dental care and education, their children's chances of developing dental disease could lessen - both because of more frequent trips to the dentist and because of prevention and education practices at home. Programs such as Give Kids A Smile help children and adults find a dental home, where early diagnosis and preventive education minimize both the cost of dental care and the progression of decay.
Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease. Regular dental check-ups are critical to keep children's teeth and gums healthy. Left untreated, tooth decay can have devastating effects on young children and has been connected to more serious health concerns later in life, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, bacterial pneumonia and diabetes. Early dental problems can affect children's learning, how they interact with other kids and their ability to eat.
Preventive care is critical to maintaining good dental health and overall wellbeing, and DSDS will continue to participate in programs to help those who need it. Our members provide more than 5,000 hours of volunteer services annually. But we can't do it alone. We need the continued support of our state Legislature and Public Health Department to further educate Delawareans about the importance of oral health.
The Give Kids A Smile clinic will be held at the dental office of Norman S. Steward Jr., DDS, at 214 S. Walnut St. in Milford, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11. Learn more at http://www.delawarestatedentalsociety.org/kids-smile.html.
James K. Kramer, DMD
president, Delaware State Dental Society
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