[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 13 (Tuesday, February 7, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONGRATULATING THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of S. Res. 369, which was submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 369) congratulating the American 
     Dental Association for sponsoring the 4th annual ``Give Kids 
     a Smile'' program which emphasizes the need to improve access 
     to dental care for children, and thanking dentists for 
     volunteering their time to help provide needed dental care.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I wish to speak about a resolution 
to congratulate the American Dental Association for establishing the 
``Give Kids a Smile'' Program. I am pleased to be joined by my 
colleagues, Senators Coleman, Cochran, and Feingold in recognizing this 
annual event.
  This Friday is the fourth ``Give Kids a Smile'' day, which emphasizes 
the need to improve dental care access for children. Tooth decay is the 
most common chronic childhood disease and can be the cause of poor 
eating and sleeping patterns, decreased attention spans at school, and 
sadly, children not being able to smile. Children who are eligible for 
Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program are three to 
five times more likely than other children to have untreated tooth 
decay.
  I also want to thank the members of the American Dental Association 
for participating in this program. I am especially proud of all of the 
dentists in Michigan who took the time to make the annual ``Give Kids a 
Smile'' day such a great success. Last year, more than 330 dentists in 
Michigan volunteered their valuable services for ``Give Kids a Smile'' 
events across the State. These dentists, along with more than 1,000 
staff members and volunteers, provided dental treatment and oral health 
information to more than 17,430 needy children.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be 
agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and any statements relating thereto be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 369) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, was agreed to as follows:

                              S. Res. 369

       Whereas access to dental care for children is a vital 
     element of overall health care and development;
       Whereas dental caries (more commonly known as tooth decay) 
     is the most common chronic childhood disease;
       Whereas untreated tooth decay results in thousands of 
     children experiencing poor eating and sleeping patterns, 
     suffering decreased attention spans at school, and being 
     unable to smile;
       Whereas due to a confluence of factors, children eligible 
     for Medicaid and the State children's health insurance 
     program are 3 to 5 times more likely than other children to 
     experience and suffer from untreated tooth decay;
       Whereas dentists provide an estimated $1,700,000,000 
     annually in non-reimbursed dental care;
       Whereas nearly 11,000 dentists provided approximately 
     $33,000,000 of free care to almost 500,000 children in the 
     3rd annual ``Give Kids a Smile'' program held on February 4, 
     2005;
       Whereas the participation of dentists in the 4th annual 
     ``Give Kids a Smile'' program, established and sponsored by 
     the American Dental Association and held on February 3, 2006, 
     serves to remind people in the United States about the need 
     to end untreated childhood dental disease; and
       Whereas the generous support of numerous corporations, such 
     as Crest Healthy Smiles, Sullivan-Schein Dental, and DEXIS 
     Digital X-ray Systems, helps make the ``Give Kids a Smile'' 
     program a success: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the American Dental Association for 
     establishing and continuing its sponsorship of the ``Give 
     Kids a Smile'' program;
       (2) emphasizes the need to improve access to dental care 
     for children;
       (3) thanks the thousands of dentists, dental hygienists, 
     dental assistants, and others who volunteered their time to 
     bring a smile to the faces of hundreds of thousands of 
     children on February 3, 2006;

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