The mission of Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) is to bring caring volunteers and organizations together for the purpose of delivering quality oral health services to underserved children. The DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY FOUNDATION of St. Louis has formed a three year partnership with GKAS to begin an innovative approach to children’s dental care. We are working together to develop the concept of a “virtual clinic” for dental care for St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

GKAS currently runs a nationally recognized program that provides a two day dental clinic held at a local university in February and October of each year. These clinics are entirely volunteer driven, including the dentists. Various area nonprofit agencies are invited to bring children to receive a free dental screening and services that can be provided on-site. Parental permission is required. Knowing that many of these children need follow-up care, Give Kids a Smile and the DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY FOUNDATION of St. Louis teamed up to provide the follow-up care they may need or to get care that is needed but cannot be provided on-site.

Through one centrally staffed administrative office, GKAS will match children that have gone through one of the clinics to a dentist that can volunteer time and services at no cost to the child. These dental partners are called “Smile Factories”. Families will be screened through the central office and receive a Smiles Factory ID authorization card and patient number. They will be partnered with a dental provider who will complete treatments identified and/or initiated during the clinic. Smile Factories will provide the basic services of cleanings, hygiene education, exams, fluoride treatments, sealants, crowns, space maintainers, extractions, root canals, fillings and other needed services as identified.