Dentists and dental assistants across the country will open their doors on February 3 to celebrate the national 10th annual Give Kids a Smile Day.
The initiative provides free, desperately needed dental services to children from under served communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four children between the ages of 2 and 11 years have untreated cavities in their baby teeth.
Jessica Kerry, a professional with dental assistant training who now works at Commerce Drive Dental Group in Mankato, Minnesota, lobbied for her office to participate in this year's event. Kerry told the Mankato Free Press that at one time, she was on the receiving end of needing similar types of free services for her children.
"It’s just so nice," Kerry told the news agency. "It’s something you wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise and it’s one less weight off your shoulders."
Commerce Dental will have two dentists, five dental hygienists and six dental assistants on hand during Give Kids a Smile Day. The office says it hopes to treat approximately 50 kids.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job prospects for dental assistants should be excellent through the decade, with opportunities expected to grow by 36 percent through 2018.
