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Jacksonville dental facility knows drill when it comes to giving kids in need a smile

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Let’s face it, going to the dentist isn’t always fun for everyone.

But at West Beaches Dental Care, it was a whole different vibe Saturday for “Give Kids a Smile Day.”

The local dental facility helped families by offering dental care for their children—on the house. This included everything from free cleanings to exams and even X-rays.

“Give Kids a Smile Day” meant a lot for Nichole Oswald, whose three children received dental care Saturday.

“Everything is so expensive these days,” Oswald said. “And it’s nice having three kids, being able to get their teeth cleaned and know that you’re going to be hit with a bunch of expenses, it’s nice.”

A young patient gets a visit from a special friend to ease the mood during "Give Kids a Smile Day" at West Beaches Dental Care. (WJXT)

Oswald’s 13-year-old son, Ryan, agreed.

“At first, I was a little nervous. But these people are really nice, and they helped me out a lot, so not anymore,” Ryan said. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it an 11.”

The facility on Beach Boulevard opened in August. But as a company, the last event of this kind was held in 2019. Dr. Brianna Blum said this was the perfect time for its return.

“Offer kids free dental care that otherwise don’t get the care. It’s really important to bring kids to the dentist early on so we can diagnose issues when they’re minute and get them used to coming to the dentist. Not be afraid of it,” Blum said.

And the dentists here want to make it clear that getting to the dentist as early as possible is really important because great oral care is great health care, too.

Other events will soon be in the works, helping more families with their dental health.


About the Author
Ashley Harding headshot

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She anchors News4Jax at 5:30 and 6:30 and covers Jacksonville city hall.

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