February 27, 2019
Media Advisory – ‘Give Kids a Smile Day’
Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the annual “Give Kids a Smile Day” at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Friday.
This year’s event, for children from infants to 14 years old, has an added component – free vision screenings for kids ages six months to six years.
Sponsored by the university’s Dental Hygiene Program, the event is 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 for children who do not receive regular dental treatment and who do not have regular access to dental care.
The program began in 2003 with about 50 children participating over two days, and has grown to serve an average of about 240 children each of the past nine years.
Participating children will receive dental examinations, x-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and fillings, or simple extractions under special circumstances. The program, now in its 17th year, also works to find a “dental home” for patients if there is a need for additional treatment.
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.