Page 8 - March-2015-Life-in-Naples-Magazine

Smile!Help give kids a
by Elizabeth T. Orr, DDS N early one in four children
aged two to 11 years old has
untreated cavities in their children on incorporating oral hygiene habits into their daily
baby teeth, according to the lives to help minimize dental decay and improve oral health.”
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Dental disease is preventable and it starts with access and
Prevention. Oral health is integral education. If we can provide improved accessibility to dental
care and educate parents and caregivers on the benefits of
to overall health and statistics like oral hygiene, we are setting the stage to help wipe out dental
disease in this country. Ultimately, the money spent on the
these are cause for concern regarding prevention of dental disease saves a lot more money down the
road in dental treatment. In addition, the prevention-focused
our community’s health. When left community outreach effort to reduce the incidence of dental
disease in Collier County’s children and its consequent social
untreated, dental disease is not only impact will positively affect our community at large. Events like
Give Kids a Smile® raise awareness regarding the epidemic of
painful, but can have lasting effects on untreated dental disease occurring and Healthcare Network
hopes that this will result in increased local public and private
a child’s physical, emotional and social partnerships to improve access to oral health care.

development. Children suffering from More information about Healthcare Network of Southwest
Florida, its 14 office locations and services, and its many
dental issues not only can’t eat or sleep community partnerships like Give Kids a Smile® may be found
at www.healthcareswfl.org
properly; they have difficulty focusing

in school, emotional issues may arise,

all of which is an impediment to the

maintenance of a normal healthy childhood for our community’s youth.

Widespread and effective prevention of oral disease is essential to improving

the oral health and quality of life of Collier County’s children and reducing

the levels of unmet dental need.

Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida has been striving to provide

quality care accessible to all, regardless of ability to pay since 1977; a

mission that has only been strengthened in the changing healthcare

landscape. In order to ensure that children not only have access to but

also receive dental care, Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida has

strengthened existing partnerships and is embarking on a variety of new

ones like Give Kids a Smile®.

Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida,in celebration of the American

Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile® event, brought together volunteer

dentists and dental hygienists to provide free exams, cleanings and fluoride

treatments and distribute free educational materials, toothbrushes, and

toothpaste on Saturday, February 28th, 2015. Healthcare Network’s Dental

Care East is located at 1749 Heritage Trail #801 Naples, FL 34112 and is

one of three different dental care centers run by the organization. Providing

access to free dental services for underprivileged children on a day when

dental offices are typically closed shows a significant step towards combating

two of the most preeminent barriers to care, both logistical and economic.

While this was the initial GKAS event hosted in Collier County,providing

free and readily accessible dental care to local children in need is not a new

concept for Healthcare Network. “Considering the direct link between oral

health and total health, barriers to access should be of major concern to our

community. Healthcare Network is determined to improve the statistics

through events like Give Kids a Smile®”stated Dr. Elizabeth Orr, Healthcare

Network’s Vice President of Dental Services. “Our goal through GKAS is

dental care accessibility as well as the opportunity to educate parents and

8 Life in Naples | March 2015