SANTA YNEZ, CA – The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC) will hold its fourth annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event from 8:00am to 5:00pm on Tuesday, February 13. The event provides children, ages 1-12, with free dental work, including exams, cleanings and more.
As one of SYTHC’s biggest events of the year, the clinic’s Dental Department will provide dental care for any local child regardless of income or insurance status. Children will receive a comprehensive oral examination (including X-rays when appropriate), teeth cleaning, oral health education and dietary recommendations. Any treatment that is diagnosed during the exams will be completed at follow-up visits throughout 2024. The event will be staffed by SYTHC dentists, registered dental assistants and dental hygienists. During last year’s event, nearly $6,000 of dental services were provided to 23 children at no cost to their families.
“Our dental department looks forward to hosting this event every year because we are passionate about providing quality oral health care for all children,” said Dr. Mike Savidan, Dental Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Pre-registration is required to participate and openings are limited. Parents interested in having a child participate should call SYTHC at 805-688-7070 to register.
GKAS is a national program launched in 2003 by the American Dental Association (ADA), with the goal of providing no-cost care for thousands of children at hundreds of locations nationwide. With February being National Children’s Dental Health Month, each year during the first week of the month, dental offices across the country partner with the ADA and celebrate with their own GKAS event, providing much-needed free dental treatment to underserved children in their local communities.
Located on the Santa Ynez reservation, SYTHC accommodates more than 20,000 patient visits per year, has an active patient population of over 7,400 and employs 70 team members. The staff specializes in the highest standards of quality health care through modern medicine and cultural traditions. While the clinic’s comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services are available to Chumash community members, the clinic also treats non-Native patients of diverse ethnic backgrounds with unique needs. The facility accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal and most major insurance plans.