Underprivileged children across the country will have free access to dental and oral care on Friday, February 3. The fourth annual “Give Kids a Smile Day,” is hosted locally by volunteers from the Rhode Island Dental Association (RIDA), the Joseph Samuels Dental Center at Rhode Island Hospital, other area dental clinics and dentist offices throughout the state.

A national initiative by the American Dental Association, Give Kids a Smile day allows children from low-income families—who often do not receive regular dental care—access to free educational, preventive and restorative services. In 2005, the Give Kids a Smile program provided more than $60,000 worth of services to nearly 300 children from low-income families throughout Rhode Island.

Children without insurance are two and a half times less likely to get dental checkups than children with insurance. This event brings vital services to children who would otherwise go without proper care.

“A child who does not have access to proper dental care is at risk of suffering from long-term physical and emotional problems,” says Shirley Spater, DMD, MPH, director of the Samuels Dental Center at Rhode Island Hospital. “We must work to get children and families to recognize the importance of oral hygiene and provide access to dental care. Give Kids a Smile is a step toward achieving that goal.”

“A child’s first dental visit shouldn’t be to an emergency room. On a day-to-day basis at the center, we see decayed teeth similar to that found in third world countries. Poor Medicaid reimbursement continues to be the primary barrier for these patients,” said Spater.

The Samuels Dental Center, which has been providing dental services to underprivileged children and individuals with special needs for 75 years, is the largest site in the state participating in Give Kids a Smile.