As part of SDA’s annual “Give Kids a Smile Day,” dentist Steven Debulgado assesses a student’s dental health at the Seventh-Day Adventist Dental Clinic on Friday. Photos by Lori Lyn C. Lirio
In an interview, SDA dentist Steven Debulgado said “Give Kids a Smile Day” is a nationwide event launched by American Dental Association in the U.S. in 2003. About 5.5 million children every year receive free dental services throughout the U.S.
At the SDA clinic, Debulgado said: “We go through oral hygiene. We do extractions. We do fillings and assessment for free.”
He said they performed one procedure per patient, adding that the free dental health services were funded by Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
As a mission clinic, SDA reaches out to community members to “enhance their overall health,” he said.
On Friday, he added, they prioritized children who have no Medicaid or any insurance.
“We participate in this kind of an event every year to help those who really need it,” Debulgado said.
