The Northwest Community Health Center plans to

hold its annual Give Kids a Smile Day on Thursday, Feb. 3.

Last year, more than 44,650 dental team

members nationwide participated in Give Kids a Smile – a program

first held in 2003 by the American Dental Association to provide

care and raise awareness of the importance of access to dental care

for children.

Locally the health center will provide oral

health education, in addition to a new toothbrush and toothpaste,

to all elementary students at Asa Wood.

Public health programs such as Medicaid and

the Montana Children’s Health Insurance Program are designed to

help underserved children but officials report that utilization

rates are low. Nearly one in four children ages 2 to 11 have

untreated cavities in their baby teeth, according to the Centers

for Disease Control, and only about 23 percent of the children

enrolled in Medicaid are receiving dental

services.  

Give Kids A Smile is held annually to raise

awareness of the need to build local public and private

partnerships to increase access to oral health care.