April 10, 2004

By: Lilian Ross
Website: http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com

Tooth Decay Disease – Volunteers Help Defeat Most Common Childhood Disease

Next month will mark the second year that the American Dental Association’s National Give Kids A Smile! program comes to New Jersey. The program is aimed at giving kids the tools and knowledge to prevent tooth decay, which is the single most common chronic childhood disease in America, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

It's five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. The program also puts a spotlight on the need for better access to dental care in New Jersey. More than 500 volunteer dentists, hygienists and dental assistants will deliver one day of free dental care to hundreds of New Jersey’s underprivileged children ages 12 and under.

Fifteen sites throughout the state will participate in performing a wide range of preventative and emergency dental care. The sites include all UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School sites, many dental residency programs as well as county dental hygiene training centers. So many of New Jersey’s children suffer from unnecessary tooth decay, says Cavan Brunsden, DMD, the statewide chairman for the GKAS program.

This noble program gives kids a fighting chance and arms them with the proper tools and knowledge to enjoy healthy teeth for a lifetime. The inaugural year of the program, 2003, was so successful that twice as many sites are needed this year to accommodate the children who will seek dental care. More than 300 children were seen last year and the number this year is expected to more than quadruple. Head Start programs, religious organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs and elementary school nurses have all been informed about the program.

In many cases, these organizations will be arranging bus trips to the sites in their area. We want to show the level of caring and compassion we dentists have for children, remarked Jeffrey Rempell, DMD, president of the New Jersey Dental Association. With the advances in dental medicine there is no reason for children to suffer from tooth decay. It not only is the number one childhood disease, it is also largely preventable.

Author Notes:

Lilian Ross contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com.  Everything you need to know to get a whiter, brighter smile!