ICYMI: Free Dental Care Day for Takoma Park Children

TAKOMA PARK, MD — Takoma Park children in need of dental care will be able to see a dentist for free during the third annual Sharing Smiles Day, sponsored by Kool Smiles, on May 21.

Kool Smiles dentists will provide dental treatments at no cost to uninsured and underinsured children up to 18 years of age. Available treatments include dental exams, limited emergency care, extractions and restorative care.

The American Dental Association recommends that children by the age of one should see a dentist. However, there are many people who can't afford it or whose healthcare doesn't include dental work. Kool Smiles — a network of local dental offices — was founded in 2002 to fix this problem. They believe that every family has the right to quality dental care in a clean and safe environment.

While Kool Smiles is proud to provide quality, affordable dental care to families with various forms of insurance, including Medicaid, we also recognize that there are many children in our community who lack access to dental care and whose families cannot afford regular trips to the dentist," a press release states.

To qualify for free dental care by Kool Smiles, children must be 18 years old or younger and must not have Medicaid or dental insurance. A limited number of treatment spots are available. Pre-registration is recommended, but does not guarantee treatment. Parents can register their children on the Sharing Smiles website in advance.

The Kool Smiles Takoma Park location is at 1147 University Blvd. E. Parents can call the office at 301-830-5150 for more information.

Photos: Kool Smiles