Overview
Post-event evaluation form
Press releases
Dental records
HIPAA
Identifying kids in need
Liability & Abandonment issues
Inviting your legislators
Post-event Letter to the Editor

Overview

Each year, dentists statewide donate oral health care services to thousands of low-income children as part of the national Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) day in February. Endorsed by the WDA, GKAS events enhance the oral health of Wisconsin's low-income youth while highlighting the access-to-care issue for policy-makers and the media. 

• 2008 GKAS participation summary 

Post-event evaluation form

If you or your office participated in GKAS 2008, please take a few mintues to complete the final evaluation form below. Your responses will help us better help you in future years. Send it back by Feb. 11 to be included in a future WDA Journal article. Also be sure to send any photos from your event so we can include them also and post online at WDA.org. E-mail photos to hwillette@wda.org. 

• Post-event evaluation form

Press releases

Those who register their GKAS event with the WDA are included in press releases. For help with media interviews, contact Carol Weber at 414-755-4108 or cweber@wda.org. 

2008 press releases

• Northwest Region 1
• Northeast Region 2
• Greater Milwaukee Region 3
• Southeast Region 4
• Southwest Region 5

Additional resources 

• Spokesperon tips
• Media talking points

Dental records

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 Heather Willette at 800-364-7646, ext. 4110.

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

• English
• Spanish

Acknowledgement Form 

• English
• Spanish

Identifying kids in need

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
• 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 lemaywr@dhfs.state.wi.us.

Liability and abandonment issues

The first two documents are posted in Microsoft Word format so they can be personalized for your event:

• Waiver form (includes photo waiver)
• Handout for GKAS day (reminder of waiver signed)
• Risk management issues

Inviting your legislators

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.

• Download a sample letter that can be customized for your event

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 contact hwillette@wda.org.

Post-event Letter to the Editor

• Download a customizable letter