Ann Arbor, MI ⎯ January 28, 2010 ⎯ Several free oral health care services will be provided to children in need by dental and dental hygiene students, along with faculty from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry on Saturday, February 6. The local effort is a part of the American Dental Association’s annual nationwide “Give Kids a Smile” program that began in 2002.

Registration is on a first-come first-served basis. It begins at 9:00 a.m. on the second floor of the School of Dentistry (1011 N. University Avenue on the Central Campus) and is limited to the first 100 children between the ages of 5 and 12. A parent or legal guardian must accompany each child.

The first 50 children will be treated between 9:30 and noon. The other 50 children will be seen from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Dental and dental hygiene students, who will be supervised by faculty, will provide cleanings, simple fillings, x-rays, and sealants. If necessary, some extractions may also be done. Children will receive a free oral health kit containing toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and information on maintaining good oral health.

Free parking will be offered on the upper level of the Fletcher Street parking structure adjacent to the School of Dentistry. Parents or guardians bringing a child will use the up ramp, pull a ticket from the machine, and park on the plaza. No payment will be due. The exit gate will rise automatically when they leave.

For more information about the “Give Kids a Smile” day at the U-M School of Dentistry, call (734) 763-6933 or (888) 707-2500. The Jonathan Taft Society, the Michigan Dental Association, and the Washtenaw District Dental Society host this year’s program at the School of Dentistry.

Contact: Sharon Grayden, Communications Director (734) 615-2600, dentistry.communications@umich.edu, or Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry (734) 615-1971, jmastey@umich.edu.