The American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile® (GKAS) program is celebrating its 23rd year of providing free oral health care services to children in need. Launched on February 7, 2025, at the national kick-off event at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, the program has helped deliver critical dental services to millions of underserved children across the U.S. since its inception in 2003.
In 2025, nearly 1,100 GKAS events are planned, with an estimated 325,500 children expected to receive oral health education, screenings, and essential preventive and restorative treatments, such as cleanings and fillings. These services will be delivered by approximately 25,000 volunteer dentists and dental professionals. The program is supported by national sponsors Henry Schein, Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive, who provide the products and support necessary to carry out these services.
“The Meharry Medical College team is greatly pleased to be the launch site of this year’s Give Kids A Smile national program,” said James E.K. Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D., president of Meharry. “We recognize that oral health is central to physical health and part of individual well-being. Our pediatric dental team — as well as the entire Meharry School of Dentistry — embraces Give Kids A Smile as a representation of our mission of what we call ‘health caring.’ That mission has been central to our college since we were founded as a medical school nearly 150 years ago, and since 1886, when dentistry became part of our educational enterprise.”
The importance of programs like GKAS is underscored by statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which report that 50% of children aged six to nine years have cavities in their teeth. Children from lower-income households are more than twice as likely to have untreated cavities compared to their peers from higher-income households.
“What started, 23 years ago, as a grassroots effort in St. Louis has grown into a nationwide movement to ensure that every child has access to quality oral health care,” said Dr. Michele M. Tulak-Gorecki, chair of the ADA Foundation. “The success of GKAS is a testament to the dedication of approximately 4,500 dentists and 20,000 dental team members who volunteer annually, as well as the unwavering support of our national sponsors, Henry Schein and Colgate. Throughout its history, GKAS has brought care to more than 9.5 million children. I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to this program, dentists, dental students, and dental team members, as we all share a common purpose: to Give Kids A Smile and help children in need.”
Since the program’s inception, Henry Schein has contributed more than $20 million in oral health care products to the effort, working alongside its supplier partners. The company also donates thousands of volunteer hours and prepares over 40,000 dental kits for volunteers at GKAS events each year.
“At the heart of Henry Schein lies a deep commitment to helping expand access to health care,” said Dave Steck, president of Henry Schein’s U.S. Dental Group. “GKAS exemplifies this dedication, and we are honored to join the American Dental Association and American Dental Association Foundation as an exclusive national partner. Together, we will continue championing a critical mission: enhancing access to vital oral health care for all. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in this program for their tireless efforts in creating a healthier future for our communities.”
Colgate-Palmolive has supported GKAS since 2007, providing essential oral health and hygiene products. The company also promotes oral health literacy through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® initiative, which has reached more than 1.7 billion children and families worldwide since 1991.
“As the worldwide leader in oral care, Colgate is deeply committed to our purpose to reimagine a healthier future for all,” said Dawna Michelle Fields, director, community & operations, North America, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Program. “Colgate-Palmolive is proud to be a long-standing supporter of the Give Kids A Smile program, as we understand the importance of promoting oral health literacy to children and their families.”
Supplier partners contributing to the 2025 GKAS program include Centrix, Colgate, Dash Medical Gloves, Dukal, DMG, Medicom, Premier, Sionbrands, and Solventum.
For more information on the Give Kids A Smile program, visit the ADA Foundation website at www.adafoundation.org/GKAS.
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