The American Dental Association once again emphasizes the importance of pediatric oral health this month, marking the 10th anniversary of its Give Kids a Smile program. The program is part of National Children’s Dental Health month, which the ADA sponsors each February. The Give Kids a Smile program kicked off Friday, Feb. 3, with dentists and dental team members around the nation banding together to provide free dental care to the hundreds of thousands of children from underserved families. The program also aims to raise awareness of the overall need for oral health care to parents, health professionals and policymakers. "The ADA thanks and celebrates all of the dentists and dental team members who donate their time to host or participate in Give Kids a Smile programs, but we all know that the real celebration can't begin until the epidemic of untreated dental disease is cured," stated ADA President Dr. William R. Calnon in a recent ADA press release. "More than 16 million children have tooth decay, which is 16 million too many. The ADA and state dental societies will continue to advocate for policymakers to allocate adequate funding to provide dental services to children in need through Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs." Among the many organizations participating in 2012 is Hanscrom Airforce Base, where members of the Hanscom dental clinic worked to educate children at the base schools and Child Development Center about the importance of practicing good oral hygiene and eating habits. About 25 percent of the nation's children suffer approximately 80 percent of tooth decay in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health. Click here for more information on the Give Kids a Smile program.
