Dentists and other volunteers in Moore County teamed up with hundreds of their peers in all 100 North Carolina counties for the first-ever national “Give Kids a Smile!” day on Friday Feb 6, the largest state event in the country.

They were joined by dental professionals throughout America at designated dental offices, dental clinics and community colleges open their doors to treat low-income children for free.

Participants from Moore County come from the offices of Drs. Monroe and Monroe, Dr. Christine Gatti, Dr. Michael Henry and Dr. Tom Vicars.

“Give Kids a Smile!” is a nationwide program designed as a dental education and awareness day, with free oral health care to as many children as possible during national “Children’s Dental Health Month” sponsored by the American Dental Association and state dental societies.

In 2003, 10,000 children in all 100 North Carolina counties received more than $1 million in free dental care as part of the first “Give Kids a Smile!” program. The American Dental Society named the North Carolina program the best in the country.

In North Carolina, “Give Kids a Smile!” is sponsored by several organizations including the N.C. Dental Society, N.C .Oral Health Section, N.C .Dental Hygiene Association, N.C. Dental Assistants Association, UNC School of Dentistry, N.C. Community Colleges and local dental societies. Several organizations and corporations have donated their products and services to the program including Crest HealthySmiles 2010, the N.C. Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, DEXIS Digital X-Ray, Ivoclar Vivadent, Sara Lee Corporation, Sullivan-Schein, Wachovia, ADS Printing, CES Mail Service and Kinkos.

A variety of public agencies, including the North Carolina “Smart Start” program, took part and patients at most treatment sites statewide have already been pre-selected to receive treatment.

“This is one of the most far-reaching prgrams of its type ever attempted,” said Kent Tucker, president of the North Carolina Dental Society.

Treatment ranged from routine dental screening to education to full dental care, including fillings and extractions. Organizers say the event, which has been months in the planning, has been enthusiasitcally embraced by dental care givers across North Carolina.