JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
The 59th Medical Wing hosts Give Kids a Smile Day from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Feb 9 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph’s dental clinic.
The program provides children from ages one to 13 years from active-duty and retired military families a free dental exam and cleaning as part of a national event.
“The event is intended to provide free, desperately-needed, dental services,” said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Stephen Gasparovich, a pediatric dentist from the 59th Dental Group. “It is part of the American Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile Program. Last year, more than 46,000 team members participated nationwide.”
Gasparovich emphasized the importance of early detection in baby teeth and correlations between low-income families and poor dental health.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in four children ages two to 11 years has untreated cavities in their baby teeth,” he said. “The National Institutes of Health report that 80 percent of tooth decay is found in just 25 percent of children, primarily from low-income families.”
The event will champion awareness of the epidemic of untreated dental disease occurring across the country, and advocate for the necessity to build local and public partnerships to increase access to oral health care to combat this crisis.
Appointments can be made by calling the Dental Clinic at 210-652-1846, but space is limited.
For more information about the 59th MDW, including dental outreach initiatives, visit http://www.59mdw.af.mil.