'Care Day': Comfort Dental Offers Free Dental Care To Those In Need

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- A national dental company is giving people the gift of healthy smile, for the 35th year this holiday season. Comfort Dental is offering free dental care Monday morning to anyone who wants it, no questions asked, as part of its "Care Day."

For thousands of patients, this is their only opportunity to access care all year long.

The long-standing tradition began in 1984 in Colorado, as a way of improving access to dental services for those in need. And since Care Day began, Comfort Dental has given away almost $23 million in services; in 2018, dentists and staff saw 4,000 patients and gave away $1.4 million.

This year, Care Day has also changed from Christmas Eve to Dec. 23, to give staff members more time with their families. It also allows patients to have a day to heal before celebrating Christmas with their loved ones.

"We provide free dental care to help people. If someone has a bad tooth, hopefully we can make them feel better. For some people, including kids, Care Day may be the only time they see a dentist all year. We're dentists, so we give away dental services for the holidays," said President and Founder, Dr. Rick Kushner.

There are about 130 locations across the nation that are offering the services, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Dec. 23.

LINK: Comfort Dental Locations