Give Kids a Smile - Dallas: 1300+ Kids Served!
February 14, 2025
On Friday, February 7, 2025, afterschool programs at 10 Dallas Independent School District locations became a hub of excitement as dental professionals joined elementary students for an afternoon dedicated to oral health.
As part of Give Kids A Smile (GKAS)—a nationwide initiative led by the ADA—approximately 450 elementary school students were offered free dental screenings, fluoride treatments and oral health demonstrations. Additionally, 930 students at three other Title I schools participated in oral health education sessions. The event was a collaborative effort supported by the Dallas County Dental Society (DCDS) Foundation, the City of Dallas Afterschool Program, and the ADA.
“This was Dallas County’s biggest Give Kids a Smile event yet, reaching over 1300 school-aged children thanks to our dedicated volunteers who carry out our mission to enhance oral health in our community,” said Preston Colven, DDS, incoming President of the DCDS Foundation and Coordinator of the Dallas 2025 event We hope to continue to grow our presence and reach in the Dallas community and expand Give Kids a Smile even more next year.”
Held annually in February to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month, the GKAS program provides essential dental care to children who may not have access to regular check-ups. Since its inception in 2003, the initiative has served more than seven million underserved children across the country.
The success of the Dallas event was made possible by the dedication of 12 private dentists, 6 dental hygienists, and over 55 dental staff, students and community volunteers. Each child who participated received a toothbrush, toothpaste, local clinic information and oral health coloring sheets.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the incredible volunteers and partners who contributed to the success of GKAS Dallas 2025, including the Texas A&M College of Dentistry and the pre-dental associations at UTD. Special appreciation is extended to the ADA Foundation, Colgate, Henry Schein, Solventum, CareCredit, and Premier for their generous support. Henry Schein has served as the exclusive professional product sponsor of Give Kids A Smile Day since the program’s national inception in 2003 and provided the oral health kits for the 450 afterschool students. Oral health kits for the remaining students were made possible by a grant from the International College of Dentistry USA Section Foundation and the DCDS Foundation.