Parents can have their children's teeth examined at no charge during the "Give Kids a Smile Day"on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Sponsored by the Seattle-King County Dental Societyin honor of National Children's Dental Health Month, the dental and orthodontic screenings will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pacific Science Center. Admission to the center also is free, and admission will be $2 less for parents that day.
The first 1,000 children to complete their dental checkups will have the opportunity to tour the center.
Only three out of five children have seen a dentist before kindergarten, according to the American Dental Association. By then, over half of those 6 to 8 years old have tooth decay. Unlike a cold, tooth decay doesn't go away; it only gets worse. Pain from untreated dental disease makes it hard for children to pay attention in school, and it affects their self-esteem.
Following their screenings,childrenwill receivea goody bag of dental and educational items. Kids can have their faces painted and receive stickers, posters, bookmarks and other fun prizes. Various "hands-on" exhibits will address proper nutrition, mouthguards and the fun science of dental health.
