Make wishtv.com your home page

Children get brighter smiles for free in February

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Many young Hoosiers have a brighter smile and their parents didn’t have to pay a penny.

The Marion County Public Health Department offered free children-only dental care at Forest Manor Dental Clinic (3840 N. Sherman Drive) on Saturday.

For four hours, children up to the age of 18 received free dental exams, cleaning, x-rays, and fluoride treatments.

The free dental services are in celebration National Dental Health Month.

Dentists say children should begin seeing a dentist as soon as they get teeth.

Dr. Edna Kemp with the Marion County Public Health Department said, “It’s important to take care of the teeth at an early age becasue the teeth represent the entire body. It’s allows proper speaking and eating. So we want to make sure the parents are kids are really on top of maintaining good oral health.”

Healthy teeth tips include brushing twice each day, flossing daily, eating nutritious foods, limiting intake of sugary, carbonated and acidic drinks, visiting the dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings and wearing a mouth guard during sports games.

Free dental clinics will also be held later this month at various locations:

  • Saturday, February 13

    Blackburn Dental Clinic

    2700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

    8 a.m.-Noon

    317-931-4301

  • Saturday, February 20

    Pecar Dental Clinic

    6940 N. Michigan Rd.

    9 a.m.-1 p.m.

    317-221-7574

  • Friday, February 26

    Northeast District Health Office

    Marion County Public Health Department

    6042 E. 21st St.

    8 a.m.-Noon and 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

    317-221-7397