Background What is Give Kids A Smile®? The Give Kids A Smile® name was first used by the Greater St. Louis Dental Society and a group of dentists who set up a temporary full-service clinic that treated nearly 400 children over two days in February 2002. Since then the program has grown enormously, and in 2007 resulted in treatment of over 758,000 children. Events took place at approximately 2,250 locations across the nation, with over 39,000 dental team volunteers and 14,400 dentists, providing free services to underserved children.

Photo courtesy ADA News

What's the difference between Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) and National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM)?

Give Kids A Smile is an annual centerpiece to National Children's Dental Health Month and is observed every year on the first Friday in February, while NCDHM is celebrated during the entire month of February. National Children's Dental Health Month focuses on providing oral health education to all children despite their economic status. Give Kids A Smile was designed to provide chair-side education, preventative and restorative care to low-income children who do not have access to care.

Learn More: National Children's Dental Health Month

How can dentists and dental team members get involved?

The best way to get involved is to sign-up your program. If you are participating with a dental society, dental school or community health center, please allow the coordinator to sign you up. If are a GKAS coordinator or an individual dental office, please visit our sign-up page to register your program, request free toothbrushes and toothpaste to give the children and download the Group Program Planning Kit or Individual Dentist Planning Guide.

Who sponsors Give Kids A Smile?

Give Kids A Smile would not be possible without the generous support of our corporate co-sponsors, who provided more than $4 million in products and services for the 2007 event. Visit the Sponsors & Products page for information regarding our 2008 sponsors, Henry Schein Dental, Colgate-Palmolive Co., and Dexis® Digital X ray.

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