Free Dental Care Friday and Saturday For Minnesota Children In Need; Find Out How to Make an Appointment Here

The Minnesota Dental Association is once again presenting its Give Kids A Smile program, which will provide free dental care to kids in need on February 1st and February 2nd.

From the Minnesota Dental Association website, to make an appointment for your child(ren), please review the list of dental clinics that have appointments available. You may also call United Way 2-1-1 (just dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-543-7709) for assistance finding a clinic that best fits your needs and location. Then you need to call the clinic to make an appointment for your child(ren).

Listing of dental clinics with appointments

Before making an appointment, please keep in mind:

• Dental professionals who are donating their time and talents to this program are concerned about the growing number of children who are unable to access needed dental care. Patients will typically not be asked any questions about eligibility for this free care. It's important to know that children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and must have an appointment in advance. Sorry, but same-day, walk-in care is not available on these day.
• Services will vary from preventive care, which includes cleanings, sealants and fluoride treatment, to restorative care, which includes fillings. Information on specific services that will be provided will be outlined when an appointment is scheduled. Please keep in mind that time is limited and not all identified dental needs may be addressed during this charitable event.
• Each participating dental office can set its own age range. Typically, the age range is 3 to 18. But, since it may vary, it's important that parents ask this question when making an appointment for their child.
• Please remind families to respect the clinic's time and dedication. For every child who doesn't show up for his or her appointment, another child could have been helped. If the family must cancel, they should give the clinic at least a day's notice, so the clinic can identify another child who could benefit from free care.