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Give Kids A Smile Moves to the U - U of U School of Medicine

Annual Day of Dentistry for Children Moves to 60-chair Clinic within the Ray & Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building in Research Park

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The annual "Give Kids A Smile" day will take place Saturday, February 28 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. within the Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building at the University of Utah. The recently opened building houses the U's school of dentistry and features a 60-chair clinic. The building's address is 530 South Wakara Way in Research Park.

"Give Kids A Smile" is held every February to celebrate National Children's Dental Health Month. It is a statewide effort by the Utah Dental Association to provide dental care to needy children. Jim Williamson, D.M.D., a local dentist, co-founder and co-chair of the event, estimates that over $100,000 in dental services will be provided in one day at the U's event.

'We do serious dentistry. This isn't just cleanings and a few fillings here and there," Dr. Williamson said. 'We attack infection and alleviate pain and suffering. Our dentists are so committed to these children that they'll offer follow up services free of charge to complete the work."

Over 400 children will be served by dentists working in 31 of the chairs (operatories) on the clinic floor of the new Noorda building. Additionally, 20 hygienists, paired with dental hygiene students, will provide cleanings in 20 chairs.

The children served Saturday are signed up through a number of organizations in the Salt Lake Valley including: Midvale City Community Building Community, the Health Access Project, Sealants for Smiles and L.D.S. Family Services.

"Our dentists across Northern Utah are very supportive of this event," Jim Bekker, D.M.D. and UDA president, remarked. "Similar events are taking place in Cache, Weber and Utah counties."

''I'm honored to be a part of a profession and an organization - the UDA - that cares this much about children," Williamson said. "This partnership with the U means we can grow the event and impact the well-being of even more kids. And the event still wouldn't happen without the generosity of Henry Schein. They don't bat an eye each year as we ask them to increase the supply of dental products."