Kids need extensive dental care in fluoridated Key West

Key West, Florida, is fluoridated. Yet, "A six-year-old girl in Key West needs $10,000 worth of dental work, and a nine-year-old boy stopped smiling two years ago when kids at school started making fun of two discolored teeth."



Rotary program saves smiles | KeysNews.com: All money raised at the rotary club's annual Help a Child Smile
golf tournament, scheduled for Jan. 18 at the Key West Golf Club, is
used to pay local dentists who treat local children.



 But funds have dwindled, and the Rotary Club currently has a waiting list of children hoping to see a dentist before their smile is forever replaced by the sullen look of a child in pain. 



 "There are so many kids that we have to prioritize, but you
know the pain for each child is getting worse every week, and we really
want to focus on preventive medicine."



The Rotary
Club recently began sending dentists and hygienists into schools to
conduct preliminary, non-invasive dental screenings.



"We
sent out 300 permission slips to at-risk kids, printed in English,
Spanish and Creole," Hirsch said. "We got 70 slips back, so we were able
to screen 70 kids. These are kids whose families can barely pay their
rent, not to mention annual dental check-ups."



For
information, or to make a donation, visit the Key West Rotary Club's
dental fund online at helpachildsmilekw.org or email Hirsch at kwdentalfundtournament@gmail.com.