The ADA Foundation recently honored its Give Kids a Smile® Fund grant recipients. The funds allow recipients to improve access to care for children in underserved communities.
This year’s recipients included the following: the Southern Illinois University Dental Hygiene Program, the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, Smiles and Blessings Inc, the Virginia Oral Health Coalition, Bethany for Children and Families, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health Dental Services. The recipients will use the grants to develop and execute care management systems for children screened during the February 2011 Give Kids a Smile Day to provide needed dental care.
In addition, $25,000 in Program Champion Grants was awarded to four established national oral-health programs. The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry will use the award to increase oral health literacy by updating and distributing “Mouth Power Kits” to Title 1 schools in Baltimore. Smiles Change Lives will make pro bono orthodontic care available to additional children. Team Smile will add equipment at Team Smile events to provide more underserved children with dental care. And, the National Association of School Nurses will develop oral health awareness material specifically for children and youth who are disadvantaged and at risk for dental disease.
For the fourth consecutive year, CareCredit donated $100,000 to the fund.
Practices interested in participating in the Give Kids a Smile Day on February 3, 2012, can find more information here.
