The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (SYTHC) will hold its sixth annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the clinic, 90 Via Juana Lane on the Santa Ynez Reservation.
The event provides children, ages 12 and under, with free dental work, including exams, cleanings and more.
As one of SYTHC’s biggest events of the year, the clinic’s Dental Department will provide dental care for any local child regardless of income or insurance status.
Children will receive a comprehensive oral examination (including X-rays when appropriate), teeth cleaning, oral health education, and dietary recommendations.
Any treatment diagnosed during the exams will be completed at follow-up visits throughout 2026. The event will be staffed by SYTHC dentists, registered dental assistants, and dental hygienists.
During last year’s event, more than $7,300 of dental services were provided to 28 children at no cost to their families.
“Our dental clinic looks forward to this event every year as a chance to prioritize pediatric oral health and make a genuine, lasting impact on the well-being of our youngest patients,” said Dr. Mike Savidan, dental director for the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic.
Pre-registration is required to participate, and openings are limited. Those interested in having their child participating in the Give Kids A Smile event, should call 805-688-7070 to register.
Give Kids A Smile is a national program started in 2003 by the American Dental Association (ADA), with the goal of providing no-cost care for thousands of children at hundreds of locations nationwide.
With February designated as National Children’s Dental Health Month, each year during the first week of the month, dental offices across the country partner with the ADA and celebrate with their own Give Kids A Smile event, providing free dental treatment to underserved children in their local communities.
SYTHC accommodates more than 26,000 patient visits per year; has an active patient population of some 9,200; and employs 68 team members.
The staff specializes in quality health care through modern medicine and cultural traditions, SYTHC said.
“While the clinic’s comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services are available to Chumash community members, the clinic also treats non-native patients of diverse ethnic backgrounds with unique needs,” according to SYTHC.
The facility accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal and most major insurance plans.
The clinic is an unincorporated instrumentality of the tribe and is part of the Indian Health Service. SYTHC is also a Federally Qualified Health Center that receives grant and third-party funding as a mature contractor.
For more, contact SYTHC, 805-688-7070 or visit www.sythc.org.