On Friday, Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health and the Arizona Dental Foundation will provide approximately 300 uninsured children with free dental care at the annual event, Give Kids A Smile (GKAS). The event will be held at the university’s dental clinic on its Mesa campus, located at 5855 E. Still Circle, Mesa, AZ 85206
Dental care will be provided by ATSU-ASDOH students, faculty and alumni, as well as local volunteer dentists. Children ages 6-12 from Mesa Public Schools, Apache Junction Unified School District and community organizations have been prescreened to receive cleanings, fillings, sealants and extractions.
To reinforce healthy habits, the event will make going to the dentist fun. The festivities include carnival games and face painting. Many of the dental students dress as superheroes and other fictional characters to put kids at ease as they receive care.
GKAS is a national program, launched in 2003 by the American Dental Association to reduce school absenteeism by preventing oral health issues. Since the program’s inception, more than 5.5 million underserved children across the country have received free oral health services at a GKAS event.
