SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Fortis Institute in Scranton worked to give local children a brighter smile Monday during its Give Kids A Smile event, where families received no cost dental screenings and preventive treatments.

The event offered children ages 1 to 17 free screenings, X-rays, fluoride varnish, dental sealants and hands-on demonstrations using teeth models.

Participants also explored interactive stations designed to make dental visits less intimidating while taking home oral care products and educational materials.

The program is part of a national initiative launched in 2003 to provide free oral health services to underserved children across the country.

Senior students in the Dental Hygiene program organized the Scranton event as part of their required capstone project, which involves community outreach throughout their six month training cycle.

Students selected a Minecraft theme for this year’s activities and decorated the clinic to help children feel more engaged and comfortable as they learned brushing and flossing techniques.

Karen DeGroat, a dental hygiene instructor at Fortis Institute, said the long running event has continued to grow with strong community support for more than a decade.

“The response is phenomenal. I have been here since 2021, and the first event I did here had about 25 patients. Today’s event had 50 scheduled, but we had a few walk ins as well, so we will be seeing more than 50 children in the community,” said DeGroat.

The Give Kids A Smile program aligns with February’s National Children’s Dental Health Month, and Fortis will host another session in late August or early September to help families prepare for the new school year.

Throughout the year, the institute also offers care to patients of all ages as part of its clinical training.

At last summer’s Give Kids A Smile event, instructors noted that roughly 60 percent of participating children had cavities their parents did not know about, prompting referrals and free copies of X-rays for follow up treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, untreated cavities affect about 13 percent of children ages 2 to 5 and nearly 20 percent of children ages 6 to 8.

Program leaders said Give Kids A Smile highlights the importance of early prevention and provides students with valuable hands on experience.

For more information, visit the Fortis Institute in Scranton website.