Press Releases: Northwest
January 13, 2010
Kaiser Permanente Dentists and Hygienists Provide Free Dental Care to Children in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
PORTLAND, Ore. — What: Kicking off Kaiser Permanente’s volunteer efforts to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dentists and hygienists volunteer to provide free dental care to 35 uninsured and underinsured children.
Where: North Interstate Dental Office, 7201 N. Interstate Ave., Portland
When: Friday, January 15, 2010 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) Most of the kids (20) will arrive around 9:00 a.m. Fifteen additional students will arrive around 11:00 a.m. There will be children who have been cleared to be photographed.
Why it Matters: Too many kids in Oregon have no access to regular dental care, and 27 percent have not seen a dentist in the past year. Research shows that poor dental health is often a precursor to malnutrition and other health problems that can interfere with a child’s ability to learn at school.
This event is being held on the Friday before MLK Day because school is out that day, and most of the kids receiving care rely on school buses for transportation.
This event is similar to the American Dental Association’s Give Kids A Smile® program, which Kaiser Permanente’s Dental Program has enthusiastically supported since 2004.
Give Kids a Smile® events are part of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to provide care to the uninsured and underinsured, especially the most vulnerable in our communities. Several other similar events are held throughout the year at Kaiser Permanente Dental offices from Longview to Salem. This is the first of four scheduled events so far this year.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is America’s leading integrated health care organization. Founded in 1945, the organization serves the health needs of more than 8.4 million people nationwide. More than 474,000 people in Oregon and Southwest Washington receive their health care from Kaiser Permanente. For more information, go to www.kp.org/newscenter.
