Safety Harbor Elementary Helping to Give Kids a Smile

Give Kids a Smile, a children’s dental access program sponsored by the American Dental Association, has helped hundreds of thousands of kids get free dental care every year since its inception in 2003, according to its website. 

Since the Pinellas County school system joined the initiative, it has helped hundreds of eligible kids each year receive everything from exams and cleanings to x-rays and fillings, all free of charge.

This year, on the 10^th anniversary of the program, another group of children will be lucky recipients of the free care. But a local school nurse believes not enough people know about the program to fully take advantage of it. 

“There’s not a lot of attention being paid to the program,” Denise Tuchman, the nurse at Safety Harbor Elementary, said. 

“My biggest concern is getting the word out.”

In order to draw more attention to the program, Tuchman, an R.N. who also works at three other area schools, decided to go above and beyond the usual process so parents can find out if their kids need the free treatments.

On Wednesday she began individually screening the more than 700 students at Safety Harbor Elementary; she will finish the process on Monday after winter break.

She will also screen every student at nearby McMullen Booth Elementary, where she believes there are nearly 800 students in advance of the dental access day, which is February 22nd, 2013.

“We had such a low response to the program, I decided to go through every kids’ mouth from kindergarten through 5^th grade to see if they are eligible,” she explained.

“The parents can opt out if they don’t want their kid to be screened. But those kids I identify, I will contact their parents and then they will have to fill out the proper paperwork to find out if they qualify.”

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Tuchman stressed that hers is just a preliminary step along the road to finding out who might need the care.

Following her exams, she will refer those students to the school social worker, Marybeth DuBois, who will help the parents fill out the necessary paperwork.

According to the county website for the program, there are four factors that must be met in order for a child to be eligible for the care:

• Child is between the age of 4 and 14 years old
• Your family financially qualifies by being below 200% of poverty level
• Does not have any other dental insurance
• Willingness to have better dental health for your children

But despite the restrictions, Tuchman said many kids are still able to revieve the free care. Unfortunately, many more don't even know it.

"It's first come, first serve for this program, which is why I want to push this now," she said.

"It kills me that this stuff is available out there but people aren't taking advantage of it."

For more information on the Give Kids A Smile Program in Pinellas County, visit their website, www.gkaspinellas.com. The free dental access day for Pinellas County children will take place on February 22, 2013 on Missouri Avenue in Largo.