Dr. Edwin Smith provides free dental care through mobile clinic: 3 notes

A dentist in Barbourville, Ky., has provided free preventative dental care to students across the state for more than a decade, according to CNN.

Here's what you need to know about Edwin Smith, DMD, and his nonprofit Kids First Dental Services:

1. In 2005, Dr. Smith rehabilitated a trailer into a mobile dental clinic. The mobile clinic travels to schools across Kentucky.

2. Dr. Smith has brought treatment including dental exams, teeth cleanings, molar sealants and x-rays to more than 43,000 students.

3. Dr. Smith spoke to three main reasons the surrounding area has poor dental health: lack of education about oral hygiene, inability to afford dental treatment and inadequate transportation to access dental care.

"When I see kids at schools we've been providing treatment to for 10 years and how much the incidence of tooth decay in the kids there has been reduced, that's motivation enough," Dr. Smith told CNN.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

New From Becker's Dental Review

Delta Dental, Smile Brands & more: 5 dental companies making headlines

Read Now