Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, SportsFree children's dental clinic Feb. 3 for underserved

Free children's dental clinic Feb. 3 for underserved

The annual Give Kids A Smile day will be held 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday at the Adams County Health Department, 330 Vermont.

An estimated 200 underserved children between age 5 and 18 from Adams, Brown, Pike and Schuyler counties will have free preventive, restorative and major dental work as part of the National Children's Dental Health Month. At the clinic approximately 15 dentists, 15 hygienists and many dental assistants and volunteers work. Supplies come from many sponsors, including local dental supplies distributors. Pre-registration is required by calling (217) 779-6471.

The Give Kids A Smile name was first used by the Greater St. Louis Dental Society and a group of dentists who set up a temporary full-service clinic that treated nearly 400 children over two days in February 2002. It is now coordinated by the American Dental Association. Since then the program has grown to a national scale, resulting in treatment of more than 4.5 million children. As of 2010 more than $170 million in free care has been provided to children.