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MAMI Helps 'Give Kids A Smile,'
Provides Interpreters for Dental Care

UTICA, NY, Feb. 7, 2011 -- MAMI Interpreters participated in Give Kids a Smile Day on Saturday, Feb. 5 – a multi-agency effort to provide free dental care to children who do not have a dentist.

Korjia Mahda, an Arabic interpreter, and Saw L. Kler, a Karen interpreter, worked with staff and patients at Faxton-St. Luke's Dental Health Center – one of five dental offices where dentists and staff volunteered their time.

Some 200 children, aged 4 to 10, received preventative treatment such as exams, cleanings, sealants and fluoride varnish. About 25 percent of them were from refugee and immigrant families who were not proficient in English, thus needing a medical interpreter.  In addition to MAMI, Faxton-St. Luke's and Mohawk Valley Refugee Center also assisted with interpreting.

Karen interpreter Saw L. Kler, left, assists Moo Pler, father of two children receiving dental care.

Arabic interpreter Korjia Mahda works with Dr. Donald Flihan, DDS, and 9-year-old Tanya Fadall.

PHOTO GALLERY

The event was made possible by NY State Preventive Dentistry Grant recipient Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, and subcontractors Mohawk Valley Perinatal Network and Upstate Cerebral Palsy.

Dr. James Rozanski, DDS, director of dental services at Faxton-St. Luke's, noted that the Oneida-Madison County Give Kids A Smile event was part of a national program and this year was held at five different locations in Oneida and Madison Counties including:

• Faxton-St. Luke’s Dental Health Center, New Hartford.
• Slavin, Jackson & Burns, DDS, Utica.
• Camden Dental, PC, Camden.
• Goel Family Dentistry, Cazenovia.
• Dr. Pablo R. Elizondo, DMD, Rome.

The Faxton-St. Luke's center also entertained the children with the amazing antics of magician Jim Okey and the friendly appeal of therapy dog Niko, brought by Dave Mrzlikar, and therapy-dog-in-training Buddy, brought by Dr. Dan Kopp.

Media Contact: Mary T. Stronach, 315-796-9284, mstronach @ mamiinterpreters.org