Pre-dental students to manage about 100 dental clinics on Give Kids A Smile Day, Feb. 7
(NEWARK, NJ) Jan. 27, 2014— For the first time in 12 years, Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) in New Jersey is collaborating with all Rutgers pre-dental students from its Newark, New Brunswick, and Camden campuses to assist in managing about 100 dental clinics on Give Kids A Smile Day, Friday, February 7th. Established by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2003, “Give Kids a Smile” is a national day when dentists provide free dental services to underserved children ages 12 and under in New Jersey.
A free dental exam, fluoride treatments, oral health education, toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss will be offered to children who cannot afford dental care. With the help of over 40,000 volunteers spanning over 1,500 events, GKAS provides dental services to approximately 450,000 children each year. Last February, 2,000 children visited 140 sites in New Jersey. This number is expected to increase.
“We are thrilled to initiate the Rutgers pre-dental volunteer program with GKAS, giving undergraduate students an opportunity to shadow dentists and serve as Site Data Managers. We look forward to continuing our involvement with this wonderful initiative,” Klein said. As Site Data Managers, students will have the opportunity to “shadow” dentists, network, and keep records at their designated location. Any Rutgers student with an interest in dentistry may register to become a Site Data Manager.
GKAS Day is sponsored by the New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA). GKAS Day in New Jersey is made possible by sponsors, dentists, the NJDA, and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Rutgers University, a top research university that has recently merged with the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, is the first university in NJ to participate in GKAS Day. Representing Rutgers University-Newark is the Pre-Professional Services unit within the Office of Academic Services. Pre-Professional Services provides academic advising, career development opportunities and professional events to pre-health, pre-engineering, pre-law and pre-pharmacy students.
“Joining forces with GKAS is not only an exciting opportunity for our pre-dental students to obtain exposure to the dental field, but also an opportunity for them to give back to the community. Helping others within the community is something we hope that our students will continue to do as professionals in the field in the years to come.”