PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield Health Center Offers Free Dental Exams to Children
Center Celebrates ADA’s “Give Kids a Smile!” Day for Third Year

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 26, 2005-PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY- The Plainfield Health Center (PHC), one of nineteen Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey, dedicated to providing cost effective primary health care and dental services for the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities, announced that it will be offering free dental exams to children ages three to twelve on Wednesday, February 2nd, in celebration of the American Dental Association’s (ADA) National Children’s Dental Access Day. This marks PHC’s third year participating in the program.

In accordance with the program, the Plainfield Health Center’s dentists, along with dentists nationwide, will provide free oral health care services to thousands of low-income children across the country. The ADA's third annual "Give Kids a Smile!" National Children's Dental Access Day, during National Children's Dental Health Month, will enhance the oral health of large numbers of needy children. "Give Kids a Smile!" activities will also highlight for policy makers the ongoing challenges that low-income and disabled children face in accessing dental care.
“The Plainfield Health Center, one of the few dental providers to offer a dental program for the uninsured and Medicaid population, firmly believes that oral care is an early predictor of overall health,” said Dr. Margaret Murray-Sobers, Chief of Dentistry at PHC. “Our goal is to engage patients in an ongoing oral care program at the youngest age possible, stressing the importance of preventive care, not just episodic emergency care. We hope that participating in this program, and experiencing the dental care at PHC, will encourage parents or guardians to enroll children in a lifelong regimen of preventive oral care,” said Dr. Murray-Sobers. Last year, over 130 children participated in the day-long program and many began a care program starting with scheduled six month check-ups.

Free exams will be given on Wednesday, February 2nd, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM at the main campus on Rock and Myrtle Avenues. Children must be between the ages of three and twelve, no insurance is required, but children must be registered. To register your child for a free dental exam, please call 908.753.6401, extension 155.

About The Plainfield Health Center

The Plainfield Health Center, incorporated as the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation, was born in 1969 under the auspices of the 1960's Model Cities Neighborhood Program. Led by a dedicated group of community activists, the Center was initially created to provide accessible health care to the residents of the West End of Plainfield.

Since then, the Center has grown, added more services, increased the number of specialties of professional health staff, and expanded its reach to the entire City of Plainfield and neighboring communities, and to the City of Elizabeth. Today, the Plainfield Health Center serves more than 21,000 patients annually. Its total care program provides adult medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, school based services, dentistry and ancillary support services.

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