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Dental Students Offer Free Care To Kids In Need

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thousands of volunteers at dental offices around Minnesota provided free care to kids is need Saturday.

It's part of the "Give Kids a Smile" program. The University of Minnesota holds one of the largest program clinics in the state. It can provide a full range of dental care including cleanings, X-rays, fillings and more.

The event doesn't just benefit the kids, but also the student dentists volunteering, who say oral care is very important in terms of overall care.

"Sometimes the teeth kind of get forgotten," 3rd-year dental student and Give Kids a Smile co-chair Kimberly Rostvold said. "We know there are kids around the state that need care and this is just one way to offer those services free of charge."

Saturday is the 14th annual Give Kids a Smile event, and even featured the tooth fairy!

Since it began, Minnesota dentists have provided free care to around 65,000 children and donated services valued at more than 16-million dollars.

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