By Patrick Tepoorten

Families that may struggle to afford proper dental treatment for their children have a rare opportunity to catch up on fillings, cleanings, and other assorted treatments on Feb. 4. Itís called the ìGive Kids a Smileî program, and is sponsored by the Minnesota Dental Association (MDA).

Two local clinics, North Branch Dental and Soft Dental in Rush City, will be participating in the day-long, voluntary effort to insure that all kids get proper dental care, regardless of their ability to afford it. Both clinics will be offering exams, cleanings, x-rays, and fluoride treatments. In addition to those services, Soft Dental will be offering fillings, extractions, stainless steel caps and even a semi-root canal for baby teeth, called a pulpotomy.

People interested in taking advantage of this once-a-year opportunity should contact the two clinics sooner rather than later. There is a limited number of appointments available and schedules are expected to fill up in short order.

According to the MDA, kids up to age 18 can take part in Give Kids a Smile, and there are no screening requirements.

For Soft Dentalís Dr. Tuyen Nguyen, Give Kids a Smile offers the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to a new community. His clinic opened in Rush City in November, and he hopes to bring the latest in cutting edge technology to local dentistry.

A digital x-ray machine cuts down drastically on the time needed to develop slides, and reduces exposure to radiation by over 50 percent. An intra-oral camera allows the clinic to photograph teeth individually and can show angles not easily seen by more conventional methods.

Nguyen also offers one day crown service, thanks to a new machine that is capable of milling a porcelain crown on the spot, in just a few minutes. No longer will patients have to be subjected to impressions, temporary crowns and multiple visits. Instead, patients will receive a permanent crown in just one appointment.

Nguyen boasts entirely new management and bookkeeping software as well. ìI like to apply top notch technology to the practice to provide the best services I can,î he said.

Cosmetic dentistry is a specialty that Nguyen is quite excited about bringing to the Rush City area. ìI love doing it,î he stated, calling it a ìreal passionî in his life.

To schedule and appointment with Nguyen, call (320)358-4733. Soft Dental is located at 350 Elliot Street in downtown Rush City.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Nyman, call (651) 674-7096. North Branch Dental is located at 6760 Main St., in North Branch.
If Give Kids a Smile sounds like a program worthy of supporting, the MDA accepts donations from the public as well. Call (651) 646-7454 to contribute.

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