Local Events
The Sixth Annual Give Kids a Smile in
Pinellas County will take place in February
2008. This year the Dental Societies of
Pinellas County hope to screen, clean and
treat more than 600 children in Pinellas County
who otherwise would be unable to receive dental
care.
In order to be eligible
for the free dental care, the child must be
Medicaid eligible, but without a dental
provider. The parents or guardian must fill out
the paperwork authorizing dental treatment and
must transport the child to the nearest clinic
for the appointment.
Parents can call to
ensure their children are eligible and make an
appointment by calling the Info-line at
(727) 210-4222.
We are hoping to reach as many of our
community’s underserved children by partnering
up with groups such as the Willa Carson Health
Center serving the Greenwood community, the
Stars Program for training unemployed
individuals new skills, the Resurrection House
for homeless families and the Pinellas County
School System.
Give Kids a
Smile Day launched its first annual program
in 2003 in the national, state, and local
arenas. Nationally sponsored by the
American Dental
Association and the
Florida Dental Association on the state
level, our local association, the
Pinellas County Dental
Association, joined this crusade to
highlight the need for improved dental care for
underprivileged children. Nationally, an
estimated 1 million children were seen last year
at over 2500 locations. At the statewide
events, about one
thousand
Florida Dental Association members participated
and provided almost $1 million of free
treatment. On the local level, the event
sponsored by the dental societies of Pinellas
County, helped about 544 children receiving over
$144,000 in services ranging from exams, teeth
cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, x-rays,
fillings, extractions, crowns and home care
kits. Almost 200 dentists, hygienists and
assistants volunteered their time to treat these
children.
This year’s local
event is targeting more than 600 children ages
3-18 at eight clinics, with a goal of providing
an estimated $150,000 in dental services on the
three days. On Fridays, February 1st
and 15th every child
participating in the program will be seen for a
screening, x-rays, a cleaning and sealants
if needed. On the following Saturday,
February 16th any children
needing treatment will return to the clinic for
fillings and extractions.
Seven clinics will be used throughout Pinellas:
The Department of Health in St. Pete and
Pinellas Park, St. Pete College Dental Hygiene
Clinic, South PTEC Dental Assisting Clinic,
Johnnie Ruth Clark Clinic, UFCD Seminole
Satellite Clinic, the Clearwater Dental
Associates.
Parents and organizations
can call our Give Kids a Smile Info-Line at
(727)
210-4222 for more
information. Space is limited, so call today to
reserve their child’s spot for this great event
with our area’s dentists and hygienists.
Pictures
from Give Kids A Smile
Feb.
2, 2007
Click here for pictures from
Pinellas Give Kids A Smile 2007
2006
Pinellas
Dentists Give Kids
Something To Smile About
by Dr. Chris Wujick
The Pinellas County Dental
Association has completed another successful
annual Give Kids a Smile Event for 2006. Over 200
children were seen and treated on February 10th
and 17th while delivering more than
$65,000 in donated services to children of low income
families in our community.
 Children
were reached from many sources such as foster
care groups, the school system, the public
health department, the Christmas toy shop,
church groups, the YWCA, the NAACP, the Sallie
House, the Greenwood Community Health Resource
Center, and the Homeless E mergency Project. The
Pinellas County School system has become our
largest referral source with teachers such as Gerrianne Parker of Sanderlin Elementary and
Iris Williams making our event a top priority.
Flyers were distributed throughout the community
to grocery stores, barber shops, beauty salons,
and convenient stores encouraging financially
eligible children to participate and call the
GKAS hotline. This hotline was handled
masterfully by 211 Tampa Bay Cares. Further
scheduling was provided by The Greenwood
Community Center and The Homeless Emergency
Project.
 Approximately thirty dentists,
fifteen hygienists and almost thirty hygiene
students and many other volunteers contributed
their time and heart in planning, publicizing,
and providing services. The event allowed our
area dental healthcare educational programs to
encourage their students to get involved in
their community. The Florida College of
Dentistry provided their dozen residents an
opportunity to participate. The Pinellas
Technical Education Center’s Dental Assisting
Clinic, and St. Petersburg College’s Dental
Hygiene Clinic joined the St. Petersburg and
Pinellas Park Department of Health and Johnnie
Ruth Clark Clinic as sites for the event.
 Instrumental members of our
organizational team include The Department of
Health Volunteer Healthcare Provider Program
Director Sonia Hogue who trained many volunteers
to screen patients for eligibility. Her tireless
efforts over the past four years of our county’s
event have streamlined the paperwork duties of
the event. Our Executive Director, Donna
Letzring, once again fielded calls and scheduled
appointments to coordinate our coverage. Director of the HEP clinic, Susan
Arnold helped to liason the efforts for the
first time with the Upper Pinellas County Dental
Association, which provided a full day of
services to the north county as well. Tami
Grzesikowski and Valerie Carter from SPC played
important roles in providing a fun atmosphere of
walking teeth and clowns at their clinic. The
Pinellas County Dental Hygiene Association's
president Jackie Foulk rallied the support of
many of their members to join us on the event
and enhance our treatment coverage. The
organizational team of PCDA members Dr. Mike
Fernandez, Dr. Mary Ann Pittman, Dr. Susan Hudak-Boss,
Dr. Betty Hughes, Dr. John Thee, and Dr.
Haychell Saraydar have spearheaded the efforts
year after year and once again provided
tremendous leadership.
 Sponsor’s of this year’s event
included the organizational logistical support
of Giulfcoast AHEC, supplies from Crest,
Sullivan Schein, Island, Patterson, and
Dentsply. And most importantly, all the member’s
of the PCDA really came through in a big way at
the twelve o’clock hour to donate important
supplies to make this event as successful as
possible.
 Give
Kids a Smile Day
launched
its first annual program in 2003 in the
national, state, and local arenas. Nationally
sponsored by the American Dental Association and
the Florida Dental Association on the state
level, our local association (PCDA) joined this
crusade to highlight the need for improved
dental care for underprivileged children.
Nationally, an estimated 1 million children were
seen last year at over 2500 locations.
 In 2005, the event was sponsored by the Pinellas
County Dental Association and 188 children
received over $50,000 in dental services ranging
from exams, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments,
sealants, x-rays, fillings, extractions, and
home care kits.
Dr. Chris Wujick
headed the Give Kids A Smile program this year
and may be contacted for more information.
More info on Give Kids A Smile®:
Broadband/1.8MB
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Dial up/322k
Thank you to all our Volunteers
- PCDA Dentists, Hygienists, Assistants and
other Support Staff and Organizers for this
successful annual event!
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