Miranda Pederson/Daily NewsDr. Eli Jackson and his dental assistant Meagan Borders work on a patient Thursday at Chandler Park Dental Care.

Eli Jackson, a dentist at Chandler Park Dental Care, realized how many people need dental help through a friend in Oklahoma who has a dentistry practice.

In February, Jackson and his wife, Kim Jackson, went to Oklahoma to assist in a free dentistry day at his friend’s office. And in November, the Jacksons volunteered for a similar event in Paducah.

“We were so moved by the events in these places that we couldn’t wait to come back and get ours organized and share with our community, too,” Kim Jackson said.

Chandler Park is one of two local dental practices that will open their doors to the Bowling Green community Feb. 4.

Chandler Park will host the first “Smiles From the Heart” event from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1857 Tucker Way, where anyone 18 and older and not pregnant will have access to either a free cleaning, X-ray, filling or extraction.

The service is first-come, first-served, and no appointment is necessary, Eli Jackson said.

Meanwhile, children will be able to receive free care as well Feb. 4. Destiny Dental, 1720 Destiny Lane, will host the eighth annual “Give Kids a Smile Day,” which caters to people under 18 who lack dental coverage and are willing to have dental work done. Dentists Stephen Robertson and Gina Davis, along with volunteer help, will start seeing children around 8:30 a.m.

After working the events in Oklahoma and Paducah, the Jacksons learned how to host an event such as the one planned at Chandler Park. The couple have been planning the event for almost a year.

Eli Jackson said more than 70 volunteers have helped organize the event or will be helping the day of the event. He said at least nine volunteer dentists are coming from three states, including California, and dentistry students from Western Kentucky University will pitch in. The Jacksons’ friend in Oklahoma can’t make the event, but he is sending several of his staff to take part.

“We have volunteer dentists, employees and others in the community that have donated food, drinks and dental companies that have donated supplies,” he said. “We’re going to see as many as we can.”

Eli Jackson said the primary goal for the day is to relieve people of pain, noting that many will need at least a tooth extracted. He said children’s dental needs often can be paid through medical cards – however, some adults do not have that option.

“We’re really looking forward to the event. It will be an extremely long day, but we realize there is a need, and this is one small thing we can do,” Eli Jackson said. “As fortunate as we feel, we felt this was the right thing to do to give back to the community.”

Destiny Dental’s annual event is part of a national initiative of the American Dental Association, which began in 2004 as an organized effort to provide care to people without Medicaid or dental insurance or who simply don’t go to the dentist as often as needed.

“We do this because it’s our way to give back to the community,” Robertson said. “From our perspective, Bowling Green and the southcentral Kentucky area has been good to us. And we’ve traveled to other places that do programs like this, and this is something that has appealed to us.”

He said that by participating in the event, Destiny Dental has given away about $150,000 worth of dentistry treatment.

“We’ve done everything from fillings to root canals,” Robertson said. “Dental pain is a reason children miss school … another reason why we jumped on this.”

Robertson said the practice tries to reach out to organizations in town, such as the Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green and schools, to inform them about the upcoming event. He said dental exams began on children about a month ago with the intent for those children to come back Feb. 4 for dental work.

Children who come in Feb. 4 will be screened, and if they need a cleaning or minor work, Robertson said the staff will take care of it that day. However, if a screening reveals a need for extensive work, an appointment will be scheduled for a later date and the work would still be free.

“This initiative is something that we’re really interested in,” Robertson said. “And we feel like everyone should have the access to care. That’s why this is something we’re committed to doing every year.”

— For more information about “Smiles From the Heart,” call 781-2952; for “Give Kids a Smile” information or to schedule an exam prior to Feb. 4, call 842-3554 and mention the “Give Kids a Smile” program.