Benevis Dental Homes Across the U.S. Will Provide Free Dental Care to Families in Need on Sharing Smiles Day
May 01 2024 - 10:00AM
Benevis, a leading dental healthcare and orthodontics delivery
organization committed to providing quality care to underserved
communities, is proud to announce it will host its ninth
annual Sharing Smiles Day on Sunday, May 19, 2024. The event
features commitment from 21 locally branded Benevis dental offices
and more than 300 volunteers who will provide free dental care and
educate patients and their families about daily brushing, flossing,
and the importance of good nutrition for a happy, healthy smile.
Benevis encourages families to register
at www.SharingSmilesDay.com in advance of the event.
Year-round, Benevis is proud to provide quality, affordable
dental care to families with various forms of insurance, including
Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans;
however, the organization recognizes that many patients and their
families in the communities its dental homes serve have no
insurance and cannot afford routine care. Research has indicated
that children from lower-income households are two times more
likely to have untreated tooth decay than children from
higher-income households. Further, cost is the top reason for not
visiting the dentist, regardless of income, age, or source of
dental benefits. Addressing these treatment challenges and barriers
to care is central to Benevis’ mission, which is why the
organization has spearheaded Sharing Smiles Day for the past eight
years to offer much-needed dental relief to more than 3,000
patients across 13 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
“Access to dental healthcare across the U.S. is not equal due to
geographic and socioeconomic barriers. Benevis is dedicated to
putting necessary oral care within reach of disadvantaged families
to help create a nation of happy, healthy smiles,” said Bryan
Carey, CEO of Benevis. “We’re proud to host the ninth annual
Sharing Smiles Day to expand access to high-quality oral healthcare
in the communities we serve.”
Benevis has a 20-year history of providing exceptional oral care
to approximately five million children and adults, including 82%
enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP plans. The dental healthcare and
orthodontics organization is also uniquely among the 18% of dental
providers that manage more than 100 child Medicaid visits annually.
However, the unwinding of the Medicaid continuous enrollment
provision due to the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency
has exasperated the dental coverage divide and left more than 20
million Medicaid beneficiaries without healthcare coverage.
Children have accounted for roughly four in ten disenrollments in
the 21 states reporting age breakouts.
“Millions of U.S. families are now left with little to no dental
health insurance as they lack Medicaid eligibility and enrollment
access,” shared Dr. Dale Mayfield, DMD, chief dental officer of
Benevis. “This year, Sharing Smiles Day has come at a critical time
when patients have been stripped of oral healthcare services. We
are proud to provide dental relief to children and their families
as they navigate a new path forward for insurance
coverage.”
Sharing Smiles Day is open to children up to age 18 and adults
who do not have Medicaid or other forms of dental insurance.
Premiere markets like Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Texas,
South Carolina, and more will participate. The available dental
treatments that will be delivered at no cost include dental exams,
limited emergency care, extractions, and restorative care, with
cleanings offered on a limited basis. A limited number of
appointments are available, and Benevis strongly encourages
families to register at www.sharingsmilesday.com in advance of May
19, 2024.
To learn more about the annual event, please watch our
video.
About Benevis
Benevis is a leading dental healthcare delivery organization for
practices focused on delivering life-changing oral care and
orthodontics to underserved communities. Through comprehensive care
and operational services that expand access to dentistry, Benevis
has a 20-year history of providing the highest quality care to
approximately 5 million children and adults. Its network reaches
more than 100 locally branded dental offices across the U.S. that
deliver treatment through 1.4 million visits each year. Benevis
also advocates for programs and legislation that ensure all
families have access to the oral healthcare they need and deserve.
For more information, visit Benevis.com.
Alison Matthiessen
SVM PR for Benevis
401-490-9700
benevis@svmpr.com