More than 150 youngsters received free dental checkups and tips on taking care of their teeth last week during the 10th annual Give Kids A Smile at Lanier Technical College.
A similar number of community volunteers, including the school's Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene students and staff, performed the checkup at Lanier Tech's dental facilities.
The children received basic cleanings and some even got fillings or other needed treatment.
Dr. David Byers, Lanier Technical College’s Program Director for Dental Hygiene, said "Give Kid’s a Smile is a great event where we get to bring the dental community together with the purpose of helping some kids receive dental care they might not be able to get otherwise. We always have a lot of fun, and we hope every child gets to leave with a bright new smile!”
Lanier Tech's Hall Campus had three waiting rooms, one on each floor of the James A. Walters Allied Healthcare Building. Students from Eagle Ranch greatly helped in the waiting rooms by playing with the young patients before their procedures.
Liza Charlton, Dental Assisting Program Director at the school, noted that “The annual Give Kids A Smile event is a wonderful way to involve students in an outreach event that serves children in our community. Lanier Tech is fortunate to have this opportunity, which engages our students in helping children to not only improve their smiles but to improve their overall oral health.”
Each year during National Children's Dental Health Month, which is February, similar events are held simultaneously across the country. Since the inception of the program, more than five million children have received care.
