Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Give Kids A Smile as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
In 2005 I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who changed everything I knew about dental care. She was the first of our children to receive the diagnosis of Hay Wells Syndrome. Hay Wells is ectodermal dysplasia that, among other things, can cause tooth deformities/malformations and low enamel. We have spent countless hours at the dentist over the past twelve years. My children’s low enamel is a major issue when they are young because they are more prone to tooth decay than the average child. Even with regular visits every six months, we have still battled cavities and undergone six-plus hour oral surgeries.
Do you remember your first dentist visit?
Before my daughter was born I didn’t know dental care was supposed to begin before a child turns one. Most adults can tell you when their first visit was because they were old enough to remember it. Today, we know that children need dental care long before their fifth birthday, yet, many children aren’t getting it! Half of the children who enter kindergarten have tooth decay despite the availability of Medicaid and dental care coverage improvements under the Affordable Care Act.
U.S. Tooth decay affects 42 percent of children aged 2 to 11 years old
Give Kids A Smile is a program that began fifteen years ago. It started as a event for local children in St. Louis and expanded into a mission that has worked to improve the oral care in 5.5 million underserved children in all fifty states! Over the course of the program, more than half a million volunteers, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental technicians, dental office staff, dental students, teachers, parents, school nurses, and many other community health professionals, have given their time and talents to provide oral health services. Services provided include education, screening, preventive care, and dental treatment to kids who otherwise might not receive them. Each volunteer is an important piece to helping these children improve their smile, school attendance, and focus. Did you know that oral care could do all that?
Visit Give Kids A Smile to learn how to attend,
volunteer, or donate to your local program.
Give Kids a Smile Website | GKAS Facebook | Mouth Healthy
Does Your Child Need Oral Health Care?
If your child needs oral health care, visit ADAFoundation.org/GKAS and click “Find Dental Care for Your Child” for a list of resources. Or, call 1-844-490-GKAS (4527) to see if there is a GKAS program available in your area.
