SANTA YNEZ TRIBAL HEALTH CLINIC TO OFFER COMPLIMENTARY DENTAL SERVICES AT ANNUAL ‘GIVE KIDS A SMILE’ EVENT
SANTA YNEZ, CA – February 13, 2026 – The Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic will hold its sixth annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) event from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25, at the clinic, located at 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 that is 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, over $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. If you are interested in your child participating in the Give Kids A Smile event, please call SYTHC at 805-688-7070 to register.
Give Kids A Smile is a national program launched 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 being 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 much-needed free dental treatment to underserved children in their local communities.
Located on the Santa Ynez Reservation at 90 Via Juana Lane in Santa Ynez, SYTHC accommodates more than 26,000 patient visits per year, has an active patient population of over 9,200 and employs 68 team members. The staff specializes in the highest standards of quality health care through modern medicine and cultural traditions. 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. 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 (IHS). SYTHC is also a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that receives grant and third-party funding as a mature contractor.
For more information, contact SYTHC at 805-688-7070 or log on to www.sythc.org.