ADA, OHA recognize kids' charities

The ADA and Oral Health America (OHA) have honored four organizations with the 2011 National Children's Dental Health Month Samuel D. Harris Award.

The Samuel D. Harris Award recognizes programs that demonstrate the advancement of dentistry for children through efforts that provide oral health benefits to the public and the profession during February's National Children's Dental Health Month. Grants are awarded based on creativity, originality, and opportunity for replication in other communities.

Below are this year's recipients:

• The Central Jersey Family Health Consortium of North Brunswick, NJ, for its Sugar-Less Day to Prevent Tooth Decay program
• The Louisville Dental Society for its Smile Kentucky program
• The Maricopa County Oral Health Leaders, Advocates, & Resources of Glendale, AZ, for its expansion of the National Children's Dental Health Month program in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix
• The SWLA Center for Health Services of Lake Charles, LA, for its Oral Health Art Project program

Each award winner receives a $2,000 grant. The awards were presented October 10 during the ADA annual session in Las Vegas.