Give Kids A Smile

Fortis Colleges and Institutes Support Give Kids A Smile® and National Children’s Dental Health Month

In celebration of National Children’s Dental Health Month, Fortis Colleges and Institutes sponsor Give Kids A Smile® events. These events and activities are designed to provide oral health education and complimentary dental services to underserved children in and around our campus communities.Activities will vary by location, so please check with your local campus for dates, times, and specific details.

Where and When

Campus Contact
Fortis Institute Pensacola For more information, please contact the campus at (850) 476-7607

Fortis College in Centerville

 For more information and to sign up for Give Kids a Smile events, please contact Emilie Shields; EFDA, CDA eshields@fortiscollege.edu or sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040548acad22a1f49-give zoom meeting ID: 4269746005

Fortis College in Norfolk

 For more information, please contact the campus at (757) 499-5447.

Fortis College in Indianapolis

 For more information contact Nedra Holmes, CDA EFDA 317.808.4828x5543 or nstanford@fortiscollege.edu
Fortis College in Columbia For more information, please contact the campus at (803) 678-4800

Fortis College Orange Park

 We’ll have oral healthcare demonstrations, story time and give away, kids facemasks, toothbrush and toothpaste. Candi Kilgore DAS Program Director - CKilgore@FortisCollege.edu

Give Kids a Smile - Fortis Orange Park: News4Jax

Fortis College in Orange Park 2020 Give Kids a Smile event, video courtesy News4Jax

More About Give Kids A Smile®

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. Across the country, thousands of dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, 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® is designed to address the dental health crisis in three distinct areas:

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

Fortis Colleges and Institutes are proud to be a part of this worthwhile effort and would like to thank to everyone who has contributed to Give Kids A Smile's success!

Click here to learn more: https://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/give-kids-a-smile.