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Give Kids A Smile (for dental professionals)
Public individuals please note: The WDA and member dentists work with numerous state and community groups to identify low-income children with the greatest need to receive dental treatment through GKAS. These events are not open to the general public. If you are looking for reduced or free dental care for your child(ren), contact your local health department or click the Public tab at the top to view a list of reduced rate dental clinics.
Thank you to all who helped make the eighth annual Give Kids A Smile day a success.
You are helping improve the oral health of many needy children while raising awareness among news media and legislators of the challenges many families face in accessing dental care.
Final numbers are still coming in, but we estimate more than 375 dentists with help from 1,063 dental team members donated $850,115 in care to at least 6,363 children.
The next GKAS day is Friday, Feb. 4, 2011.
Each year when GKAS participants are asked what the WDA can do to help them with their next event, some always say more help with media coverage and/or better recognition for their efforts.
We want to do just that, but need event coordinators to provide information.
Help us help YOU share your GKAS efforts with WDA Journal readers, news media and legislators by completing our brief online post-event survey.
It also is a great way to recognize your fellow volunteers, partners and cooperating organizations.
Digital photos are welcome. E-mail them to Managing Editor Emily Bultman at ebultman@wda.org. Please provide a brief description and photographer's name for proper credit.
Those who registered their GKAS 2010 events with the WDA are included in press releases. For help with media interviews, contact Carol Weber at 414-755-4108 or cweber@wda.org.
2010 press releases
- Statewide release
- Northwest Region 1
- Northeast Region 2
- Greater Milwaukee Region 3
- Southeast Region 4
- Southwest Region 5
Additional resources
To help you better prepare for GKAS in February, we have a partnership with The Dental Record, A Division of WDA Professional Services for your dental record needs. The Dental Record has agreed to provide two of their forms - Dental Medical History and Children's Clinical Examination - for use in conjunction with GKAS. The Child Medical History form is also available in Spanish.
They ask only that participants do not photocopy the copyrighted forms and to purchase any forms for non-GKAS needs directly through The Dental Record at 800-243-4675. If you would like forms to use for your event, please call 800-364-7646.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
GKAS does not involve filing claims, so participating dentists are not required to use HIPAA privacy forms for their events. However, the ADA recommends the use of HIPAA privacy forms as a "good faith" effort and to alleviate any concerns parents or volunteers might have. The ADA developed the following forms in English and Spanish for use with GKAS:
Notice of Privacy Practices
Acknowledgement Form
Momentum for GKAS can be generated by state and local dental societies, dentists in private and public practice, dental schools, dental health insurance companies, and industry partners working in local coalitions. Such partnerships can:
- Identify key access barriers in the provision of oral health care to target populations
- Explore alternative ways to address these barriers
- Create opportunities for community members to join together in expanding access
- Develop a sustainable action plan for implementing local oral health care access programs for the target populations
The following links will lead you to local resources that might be able to help find low-income children in your area:
- Boys & Girls Clubs
- Head Start centers
- Social service agencies
- United Way chapters
- Faith-based groups in the community
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Public School District Directory (look up your local school district, contact them and ask for the school nurse who should be able to help you find low-income children in your area)
- Wisconsin Local Public Health Departments
You also can contact the Wisconsin Division of Public Health's Chief Dental Officer Dr. Warren LeMay at 608-256-5152 or warren.lemay@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Liability and abandonment issues
The first two documents are posted in Microsoft Word format so they can be personalized for your event:
The ADA has provided further information on legal, insurance and risk-management considerations, including HIPAA. View the guide.While many dentists are extremely disappointed that funding for improving access to dental care for the underserved in our state did not make the priority list for our policy-makers this past budget cycle, it is important to keep advocating the state must fulfill its promise to the neediest among us.
Help us do so by inviting your legislators to your GKAS event to show them how you serve the neediest in your community. This also is a perfect opportunity to educate them on the basic differences between the medical and dental care delivery models and the important connection between oral health and overall well-being.
Not sure who your legislators are? View the Wisconsin Legislative Directory to find contact information for your local legislators.
If you would like assistance sending a letter to your legislator, please call 800-364-7646.
Post-GKAS promotion to local media
Fill in the blanks to customzie for your GKAS efforts; boilerplate shows this information in bold for easy reference, but put in standard font and then e-mail the release as a Word document to media outlets in your community.
Suggested subject line: Local volunteers provide dental care to low-income children
Writing a letter to the editor about your GKAS event can be done in addition to or in place of the press release. Feel free to incorporate basic GKAS facts from the WDA release. Remember, most letters are limited to 250 – 350 words; verify letter submission policies on newspaper Web sites.
Please also share with WDA Director of Public Relations Carol Weber at cweber@wda.org.
Find newsroom e-mail addresses on media Web sites. Thank you for helping the WDA spread the word about GKAS!
View past issues of the Give Kids A Smile e-Update. Subscribe to this e-newsletter for tips and guidelines for planning a GKAS event, including in-office, group and component-wide events and classroom presentations.