Give Kids A Smile® Day at FORTIS

In celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month this February, Fortis campus locations across the country and sister campuses at St. Paul’s School of Nursing and All-State Career will sponsor a Give Kids A Smile^® event. The events will provide hundreds of underserved children with oral health education and complimentary dental services.

At each participating location, staff, instructors and students from the dental programs will be on hand to help provide educational information on dental and oral health. Some locations will provide additional activities such as oral cleanings and entertainment.

Where to Go

Give Kids A Smile® History

In 2002, Drs. Jeff Dalin and B. Ray Storm held the first Give Kids A Smile® (GKAS) event in a run-down, soon-to-be-demolished dental clinic in St. Louis, where 15 patient chairs were scraped together to deliver free dental care to nearly 400 children.

The American Dental Association (ADA) recognized that this grassroots effort had great potential to raise awareness nationally about the importance of oral health to overall health, and about the staggering need that exists among millions of children who go without care. In 2003, Give Kids A Smile^® evolved into a nationwide program with the collaboration of the ADA, Henry Schein, Procter & Gamble and DEXIS. 

Today, Give Kids A Smile^® is the ADA Foundation’s signature access to oral healthcare program for underserved children, with events taking place throughout the year. These events kick off annually on the first Friday in February, which is Give Kids A Smile^® Day. Thousands of dentists and volunteers give their time to provide free oral health education, screenings, and treatment to underserved children. 

Since 2003, more than 5.5 million children have been cared for by more than half a million volunteers.  

Give Kids A Smile^® remains a critical piece of the ADA’s Action for Dental Health, a nationwide, community-based movement aimed at ending the dental health crisis facing America today. It is designed to address the dental health crisis in three distinct areas:

• Provide care now to people who are suffering from untreated disease;
• Strengthen and expand the public/private safety net; and
• Bring disease prevention and education into communities. 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to Give Kids A Smile's success!