Something to Smile About: Get Free Dental Care for Your Kids in February

A child sits on her dad's lap as she and the dentist show her how to brush her teeth.
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Taking your kids to the dentist might elicit a groan or grumble.

But if that dread is coming from you — over the cost of dental care — more than your children, you might want to check if a local dental provider is participating in this year’s Give Kids A Smile program. 

Thousands of participating dental providers across the country will be offering free services for a day as part of Give Kids A Smile. The American Dental Association officially recognizes the program on the first Friday of February each year, but not all participating dentists offer free services on that day. Many providers will host their events sometime in February, during National Children’s Dental Health Month.

You should check with your local participating provider to find out when their event will be held, what services will be provided and who is eligible to receive the free services.

More than 6,400 dentists have pledged to take part in nearly 1,400 free dental events this year, serving approximately 339,000 children.

You can get information about participating providers by calling the American Dental Association at 1-844-490-GKAS (4527) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.

The Give Kids A Smile Facebook page also has information about related events. 

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She enjoys writing about parenting and money.