Smiles for Christmas lives up to its name

Many of us cringe at the thought of going to the dentist. But for some kids, it's so overwhelming, they can't bear it.

Now thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers called Smiles for Christmas, some special kids received care they desperately needed.

Dentist Frank Pettinato explained that the sedation helps minimize the emotional impact on the child, and that allows him to do more work.

"The children have sensory issues most of the time. They can't handle someone getting too close to them. They can't handle someone going in their mouth and doing a filling," he said.
"We can go ahead and fix all their teeth at one time so they can wake up and have a new smile for Christmas."

Dr. Pettinato says he intends to make the smiles for Christmas event an annual one, and will have another one next year.

Although they're located in Pasco, it will be open to families in other counties too. But children must go through a screening process and exam prior to scheduling.

For more information, contact Dr. Frank Pettinato at www.mychildsdentist.com or Dr. Hector Vila at www.pediatricsedation.com.