Hawkeye Partners with Local Providers to Provide Free Dental Care to Kids During Give Kids a Smile® Event

Hawkeye Community College provided free dental care to nearly 50 kids during its first ever Give Kids a Smile® event held Friday, April 3, in the Dental Clinic on Hawkeye's Main Campus.

"Many families face challenges such as cost, lack of insurance, or limited access to providers, which can prevent children from receiving routine dental care," said Jessi Hanson, Dental Assisting instructor and program director who helped organize the event. "This event allows us to provide those services at no cost while also promoting the importance of early oral health."

Give Kids a Smile® is a national outreach program dedicated to improving children's oral health by providing free dental care and education to underserved kids. Through the generosity of volunteer dentists, hygienists, and community partners, the program delivered exams, cleanings, preventive treatments, and needed dental care to children who might otherwise go without.

Hawkeye Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene students assisted, providing them a hands-on learning opportunity as well as a chance to give back to the community.

"This event is incredibly valuable for both our dental assisting and dental hygiene students," said Brianne Martin, Dental Hygiene instructor and event organizer. "It allows them to apply what they've learned in the classroom to real-world patient care in a meaningful way."

Another free dental clinic is planned for July.

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