OHI Gives Kids and Their Parents Something to Smile About
Children will have a reason to smile on Friday, February 5! In recognition of National Children’s Dental Health Month, OHI (Ocean Health Initiatives), a federally qualified health center, will be participating in Give Kids a Smile Day, a one-day program, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. as part of the American Dental Association’s drive to bring attention to the number one childhood disease – tooth decay.
On Give Kids a Smile Day many dentists donate their time to provide the underserved children of Ocean County, NJ with free oral health services. They will be helping those children who are not getting the oral care they need by providing free dental screenings to children 12 and under if they do not have insurance. If the family does have insurance, however, the insurance company will be billed.
The free screening includes a dental exam, X-rays as needed, oral healthcare instruction, fluoride treatments, and free dental hygiene materials, such as toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste.
Parents must call to schedule an appointment. Dentists can see children at either OHI’s Lakewood office, 101 Second Street or OHI’s Toms River office, 301 Lakehurst Road. Call the OHI Call Center at 732-363-6655 to schedule an appointment in either English or Spanish.
Throughout the year, OHI offers dental cleanings and full checkups, including X-rays and other screening procedures for children and adults. Dentists are available at the Lakewood and Toms River sites Monday through Friday, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
American Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile program, now celebrating its 13th year, is designed to raise awareness about the importance of dental care and provides oral health education to all children despite their economic status. In New Jersey, more than 2,500 children were seen at 166 locations statewide on Give Kids a Smile day.
For more information, visit www.ohinj.org. For questions, contact Monika Kwiatkowska, dental manager, at 732-363-6655 or mkwiatkowska@ohinj.org.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70 Lakehurst; a health center within the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood; and a Mobile Medical Unit.
OHI provides comprehensive preventative and primary health and dental care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call 732-363-6655.