February 28, 2018
Media Advisory - 'Give Kids A Smile'
Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the annual “Give Kids a Smile Day” at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, set for March 2.
The university’s Dental Hygiene Program, in conjunction with the Southern Illinois Dental Society and the Southern Illinois Dental Hygiene Society, provide the service. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the SIU Carbondale Community Dental Center, which is west of the SIU Arena.
The free dental care is open to children from infants to 14 years old who do not receive regular dental treatment and do not have regular access to dental care.
In its 16th year, the program, which began in 2003 with about 50 children participating over two days, has grown to an average of about 240 children each of the past seven years.
For more information, contact Jennifer M. Meyer, assistant instructor and “Give Kids a Smile Day” coordinator, at 618/453-8826 or by email at jenn10@siu.edu.
Participating children will receive dental examinations, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and fillings, or simple extractions under special circumstances. The program also works to find a “dental home” for patients if there is a need for additional treatment.