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GDA Give Kids A Smile Day Center

Give Kids A Smile Day is coming to a location near you! On Friday, February 5, 2010, the Georgia Dental Association in conjunction with every district society will coordinate free dental care for less fortunate children. For the eighth year, member dentists and their staff members will participate in the American Dental Association’s oral health outreach program launched to encourage parents, health professionals, and policymakers to address important access to oral health care issues as well as to provide care to local, qualifying children from low-income families. Here are two ways to take part:

Call to Action Alert

Dentists! Report your GKAS activities to the GDA Executive Office at greene@gadental.org. The GDA will use this information to educate legislators about the efforts of Georgia’s dentists.

1) Volunteer at a District Program

For the past seven years, the GDA has focused its volunteer efforts on one or two locations for pro bono care. This year in an effort to broaden GDA efforts and for dentists to be able to reach out to those in their own communities, Dr. Byron Colley, Council on Dental Health Chairman, charged each district Council member with holding a district event. The district challenge resulted in numerous programs throughout the state.

The GDA encourages you to review the list and to pick a location where you can volunteer your time to help children in your area. Dentists and their staff members can give of their time and expertise for a few hours or for the entire day. All efforts are appreciated. Dentists are encouraged to bring along a dental assistant and a dental hygienist as well as any other office staff members who might enjoy participating.

Some of the programs will provide prevention-only services while others will perform more extensive restorative treatment. Each district program is tailoring their program based on the facilities and needs.

If you are interested in volunteering, please call or email the contact dentist listed below and place Friday, February 5, 2010, on your calendar. We guarantee that you will have a positive experience helping these children.

Central District (Macon)
Location: Warner Robins schools (mobile program)
Contact: Dr. Shirley Fisher at (478) 929-0296 or shffish@aol.com

Eastern District (Athens)
Location: Office of Drs. Jennifer and Erik Wells
Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Wells at (706) 548-7373 or docwells8@yahoo.com

Eastern District (Augusta)
Location: Medical College of School of Dentistry (This is an MCG sponsored event but Augusta area dentists can volunteer)
Contact: Dr. Tara Schafer at (706) 721-2116 or tschafer@mcg.edu

Northern District (Decatur)
Location: Cary Reynolds Elementary School in partnership with the DeKalb County Public Health Department
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Contact: Dr. Heather Perry at (770) 536-0201 or lanierperio@aol.com

Northern District (Sandy Springs)
Location: Ison Springs Elementary School in partnership with the Fulton County Public Health Department
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Contact: GDA Associate Executive Director Nelda Greene at (404) 636-7553 or greene@gadental.org

Northern District (Hall County)
Location: Hall County Health Department, in partnership with the Lanier Technical College Dental Hygiene Program
Contact: Dr. Patrick Toms at (770) 536-4471 or toms1@bellsouth.net

Northwestern District (Woodstock)
Location: Cherokee County Health Department in partnership with the Whitfield County / Floyd County public health departments
Contact: Dr. Casey Hart at (770) 926-8371 or casey@drhartsoffice.com

Southeastern District (Savannah)
Location: Armstrong Technical College Dental Hygiene School
Contact: Dr. Stephanie Skinner at (912) 925-6613 or skinnerdmd@comcast.net

Southwestern District (Valdosta)
Location: Valdosta Technical College Dental Hygiene School
Contact: Dr. James Knighton at (229) 896-7595 or knighton@surfsouth.com

Western District (Columbus)
Location One: Columbus Technical College Dental Hygiene School
Location Two: Valley Healthcare
Contact: Dr. Al Lugo (706) 660-1310 or drlugo@bellsouth.net

2) Stage Your Own GKAS Event

Some dentists choose to coordinate an event at their own office rather than participating in the larger GDA-sponsored program. Many of you currently provide free care to children through a local school program or faith-based initiative. If you wish to have a GKAS event at your practice, you can go to the ADA’s web site (www.ada.org) and download the planning kit to assist with the logistics of a program at your dental practice.

To find children that truly need dental care and whose families cannot afford to provide care, contact the school nurse at one of the schools in your area or work with a local health department.

Please register your program at the ADA’s web site so that they are aware of your efforts. The GDA also asks that you send your program information to Nelda Greene at the GDA Executive Office at greene@gadental.org so that your event is reported in a future issue of GDA Action.

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