Free dental care event aims to mitigate gaps in insurance coverage

A group of Minnesota dentists announced this month that it will provide free dental care in February to children whose families cannot afford dental insurance.

The Minnesota Dental Association, which represents 81 percent of all dentists in the state, will visit almost 200 locations across the North Star State on February 5 and 6, InsuranceCorner.com reports.

This event will mark the eighth consecutive year that the MDA has provided free care to the state's children.

"We know that government funded programs for families have been dramatically cut. Volunteer dentists are trying to close the gap for the low income children who are not getting the dental care they need and deserve," Dr Robert Templeton, MDA's president, told the news source.

While free dental care offerings can temporarily serve the health needs of families who don't have dental coverage, such events can't always provide the benefits attained through regular dentist visits.

Families who are searching for ways to save money on dental care may want to consider discount dental plans. These plans, an alternative to dental insurance, provide discounts of 10 to 60 percent on most procedures with participating providers.