The CincySmiles Foundation has received a two-year Challenge Grant for up to $62,500 from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. The Health Foundation will match individual gifts on a 2.5 to 1 basis up to $37,500 through December 31 2011. The Foundation will also match individual gifts during the 2012 calendar year on a 1 to 1 basis up to $25,000. This grant will aid the CincySmiles Foundation in its ongoing efforts to provide access to dental care and education to the Tri-State region’s most vulnerable citizens.

"What amounts to a 'silent epidemic' of dental and oral diseases is affecting some population groups," David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former U.S. Surgeon General wrote in a 2000 report. Dental infections and diseases of the mouth lead to, or worsen, adverse pregnancy outcomes, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease and diabetes. Oral cancer, although curable when detected early, results in more deaths than cancer of the brain. At the very minimum, dental problems cause pain, embarrassment and the inability to concentrate on work or school. In fact, children miss more than 51 million hours of school each year due to dental-related illnesses.

Oral health is a quality of life issue on a daily basis for many Americans.  Adequate care is needed to prevent tragedies such as the September 2011 death of 24-year old Cincinnati father, Kyle Willis, as well as the 2007 deaths of 12 year-old Deamonte Driver and 6 year-old Alexander Callender.  All three died due to the spread of bacteria from untreated dental infections.

For more information on access to oral health care or regarding the services provided, please contact CincySmiles at 513-621-0248.  To donate, please click HERE.