20th Annual Give Kids A Smile Month: Free Care From New Jersey Dentists For Children Through Age 12 · Other New Jersey Pediatric Dentists
Through the Give Kids A Smile program, launched nationally by the American Dental Association in 2003, more than 5 million undeserved children have received free oral health services. These free services are provided by approximately 10,000 dentists annually, along with 30,000 other dental team members.
Each year, here in NJ, more than 100 dental practices and clinics participated in an annual one-day event. In 2022, we are expanding the Give Kids A Smile program to celebrate it all month long.
Give Back a Smile (GBAS) program, created by the KinderSmile Foundation, offeres a unique platform to increase access to oral health care. Give Back A Smile dentists and dental hygienists have a year-round opportunity to donate their professional talents to at-risk uninsured and underserved patients. In addition, its Oral Health Program (KSOHP) provides preventive and diagnostic dental services and comprehensive oral health education to children and families at-risk. Prevention and Early Intervention services include on-site visits to schools and community centers serving children (0-18 years) in New Jersey.
Examination and preventive dental care including prophylaxis, topical fluoride application, and sealants when appropriate, are provided to children with written parental consent. Children diagnosed with moderate to severe dental caries are referred to our Dental Home for follow-up care, regardless of insurance status.
SHARE A SMILE is a program started in 2021 by the New Jersey Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in response to COVID-19 & the resulting decrease in Give Kids a Smile programs.
New Jersey’s pediatric dentists want to help! They have signed up to provide FREE dental care from February to May 2022 for children that were screened by any dentist or hygiene program for GKAS and Children’s dental health month.
This program is to serve as a safety net to help those children that are uninsured or under insured. A database of dentists willing to accept to treat a child for free dental care will be created and shared with all those participating with New Jersey’s Give Kids a Smile!