1/28/08
FORT WORTH, TX - On Feb.1 more than 100 children from low-income families in Tarrant County will receive free dental services ranging from cleanings to fillings as part of national Give Kids A Smile day. The event will take place at JPS Health Center - Diamond Hill located at 3308 Deen Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76106 from 8 to 9 a.m., as well as at six other JPS locations.
Children already suffering from severe tooth decay were selected to receive the complimentary treatment during screenings performed at schools in the Fort Worth, HEB and Birdville Independent School Districts.
Last year, more than 53,000 dental team members nationwide participated in Give Kids A Smile®, a program first held in 2003 by the American Dental Association (ADA) to provide care and raise awareness of the importance of access to dental care for poor children.
"It's heartbreaking to see a child's smile destroyed by severe tooth decay," said Huda Al-Hafidh, DDS. "Imagine not being able to eat, sleep and pay attention in school because you have a mouthful of toothaches."
Nearly one in four children, aged two to 11 years old have untreated cavities in their baby teeth, according to the CDC. While poor diet and oral hygiene certainly play a role, cavities are actually caused by a disease called caries, which is five times more common than asthma. The National Institutes of Health report that 80 percent of tooth decay is found in just 25 percent of children, primarily from low-income families.
Give Kids A Smile day is just one of the many ways JPS Health Network helps prevent dental disease among children in Tarrant County. Each year, JPS provides 11,000 children in local school districts free dental screenings and 5,000 of those children received free dental sealants in 2007.