SPREADING FREE SMILES ACROSS THE SHREVEPORT/ BOSSIER AREA Shreveport-Bossier Family Dental Care will host Trading Smiles – providing at least the first 150 people with free dental care on April 30.

The line will begin as early as the night before, with hundreds prepared to camp out in order to receive free services. Trading Smiles patients travel from miles away every year for this annual free day of dentistry, happening on Saturday, April 30.

In 2001, Dentistry From The Heart started with New Port Richey dentist Dr. Vincent Monticciolo as a way of giving back to the community and providing aid to the growing number of Americans without dental insurance. Since its inception, Dentistry From The Heart has grown to include over 200 annual events nationwide and provided more than 45,000 people with free dental care services. Shreveport-Bossier Family Dental Care wanted to create a similar event.

This is the second annual Trading Smiles event for Shreveport Family Dental Care and their team of dentists, volunteers and sponsors. The first 150 patients will have an extraction, filling or cleaning in exchange of two canned goods. All canned goods collected will be donated to the NWLA food bank.

“It all comes down to wanting to provide something greater to our community,” said Dr. Cody Cowen. “The services provided by Trading Smiles help give patients a renewed reason to smile.”

The media is invited to join the hundreds of volunteers, patients and Dentists on Saturday, April 30 to spread free smiles across Shreveport/Bossier through Trading Smiles located at our Shreveport location at 910 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop. For more information, please visit www.tradingsmilesla.com.

BOSSIER COUNCIL ON AGING TO PRESENT ANNUAL STYLE SHOW, “MUSICAL MEMORIES” Kicking off their celebration of Older Americans Month, the BCA plans to do it with flair on April 17. The Hilton Garden Inn, 2015 Old Minden Road, will play host to the merry makers. Attendees will enjoy a luncheon prepared by the professional staff of the Hilton. Sonja Bailes and Ed Walsh will return as the ever-popular emcees.

The event, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., is open to the public for $30 per ticket. Table sponsorships are available for $300 for a table of eight, and up to $2,000 for a table of eight to include signage, a logo banner to be displayed at BCA events throughout the year as well as other recognition.

New this year: Consider the “Send a Senior in Style” option where any monetary donation amount will send a senior in style to the event!

Contact the Bossier Council on Aging for additional information at 741-8302, or contactus@bossiercoa.org.