This weekend more than a hundred low-income kids in California will be smiling a little brighter. That’s because on Friday, February 7, eleven dentists in San Mateo County, Calif. will volunteer their time and expertise to provide 112 free appointments to kids whose families can’t afford dental care. They’ll join more than 9,000 dentists providing free care to over 34,000 kids that day across the country.
The event, called Give Kids A Smile Day, will also be a chance for the dentists to provide the kids with free toothbrushes and dental floss, and for volunteers to talk with their parents about how they can enroll the kids in health insurance programs that will help cover appointments in the future.
“Nearly one in four children, ages 2 to 11, has untreated cavities in their baby teeth,” Dr. Gracia Cua told  S. Parker Yesko of the San Francisco Examiner. “Untreated dental disease is painful and affects a child’s physical, emotional and social well-being, and yet it is preventable through brushing, flossing, proper diet and regular visits to the dentist.” And thanks to these generous dentists, many kids will be getting off to the right start toward good dental health.
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