By Kathryn Vlaanderen

Published: Feb. 21, 2025 at 2:41 PM CST

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (KTIV) - A Sioux County dental clinic provided care Thursday to those who need it the most during its second annual “Give Kids a Smile” event.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, Sioux Center Dental donated their facilities, skills, and staff to provide children in need with free dental care. Services included oral exams, x-rays, cleanings (fluoride and sealants), and restorative care (fillings and tooth extractions).

A Northwest Iowa dental clinic provided disadvantaged children with dental care on Thursday.(Sioux Center Dental Care)

Due to the need for signed permissions and additional documentation, dentists could only see children who registered in advance, after being identified and screened, using the i-Smile program.

The event was hosted by Sioux Center Dental, owned and operated by Dr. Trevor Kuiper, and is a spinoff event of the American Dental Association’s National “Give Kids a Smile Day.”

“Today was a great day. It was all hands on deck, and our team worked incredibly hard to deliver as much dental treatment as possible. We are grateful to our community for praying over us and for the volunteers who helped make the event a success. We look forward to growing this event in the future.” said Kuiper.

A Northwest Iowa dental clinic provided disadvantaged children with dental care on Thursday.(Sioux Center Dental Care)

The dental clinic partnered with the area’s local I-Smile Coordinator, Dawn Ericson, as well as the Sioux Center Community School District.

During the screening and selection process, over 150 screenings were completed for students in the Sioux Center Community School District, who haven’t had their mandatory dental screenings to enroll in Iowa schools.

The clinic says Erickson identified over 70 students who had active dental infections or admitted to having dental pain during the school day.

A Northwest Iowa dental clinic provided disadvantaged children with dental care on Thursday.(Sioux Center Dental)

Highlights from Sioux Center Dental’s event:

• $23,217 worth of dental treatment was delivered

• 29 children received a dental cleaning, radiographs, and fluoride treatments

• 27 children received pain-relieving treatment

To make the event possible, over 15 volunteers contributed to the event. These volunteers come from the following organizations:

• Sioux Center Community Schools

• Cherokee County Public Health i-Smile Program

• Sioux County Community Health Partners

• Spanish-speaking students from both Dordt University and Northwestern College

Donations were received from the following organizations:

• Goetze Dental: dental equipment and supplies

• The American Dental Association Give Kids a Smile Program: dental supplies

• Jimmy John’s of Sioux Center: food for volunteers

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