Danville—HALO Project, a Healthy Community Ini- tiative sponsored by Presence United Samaritans Medical Center, in partnership with Colgate-Bright Smiles Bright Futures and Orland Park Dental Services, will host “Smiling Faces Dental Days” on June 21 & 22. Children ages 3–18 will receive a free dental screening as well as a goody bag with dental supplies to use for proper oral hygiene at home. Parents/ guardians must accompany children. The Colgate-Bright Smiles Bright Futures Dental Van will be available: June 21 9-11 am – Hoopeston - McFerren Park 1-4 pm - Danville – Fair Oaks Housing Complex June 22 9-11am - Westville – St. Mary’s Church 1-4 pm - Danville – Vermilion Garden Apartments Children and their parent/guardian from all cities and towns in Vermilion County are welcome at any of the four sites. Services are provided on a “first come first served” basis. Screenings satisfy all Vermilion County School Dis- trict’s dental screening requirement for children in kindergarten, second, and sixth grades. Forms will be completed
Program to provide children's dental screenings at park
and given to the parent/guardian at the time of the
screening.
Colgate-Bright Smiles Bright Futures will provide the
dental van, supplies, and goody bags, while Orland Park
Dental Services will provide the dentist and hygienist
who will be completing the dental screenings. “Dental
health is directly related to other overall health, and there
is now medical proof that gum disease is directly linked
to developing cardiovascular disease,” states Kathy Richard,
Director of HALO Project. “It is extremely important
that children receive appropriate dental care and that
they are taught how to properly take care of their teeth
now in order to avoid the risk of disease later in life.”
Many children and their families in Vermilion County
do not have access to or cannot afford dental care. Many
families admit to not having enough dental supplies for
each member of their family to practice healthy oral hygiene.
“If you know of family, friends, church members, acquaintances,
coworkers, or neighbors who do not have
transportation to one of the dental van sites, please be a
good Samaritan and provide transportation for them,”
adds Richard.
If children needing screenings are unavailable to attend
the upcoming dates, local dentists will provide dental
screenings at the Children’s Health Safety & Activity
Fair on August 26 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Village
Mall in Danville.
For more information about Smiling Faces Dental Days
or the HALO Project, call Kathy Richards at
217.442.6587 or visit presencehealth.org/halo.
