Custom Dental of Newcastle in Newcastle, Oklahoma is holding a free Back to School Dental Care Day on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon, offering free X-rays, exams, and priority cavity treatment for children age 17 and under. Spots are limited, so families need to call the office or visit its website ahead of time to reserve one.
Key facts
- The event runs Monday, August 3, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon at Custom Dental of Newcastle, Oklahoma (source: News9, July 25, 2026).
- About 11 percent of children ages 2 to 5 and nearly 18 percent of children ages 6 to 8 have one or more teeth with untreated decay, rising to roughly 25 percent among children in high poverty households (source: CDC, 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report).
- About half of children ages 6 to 9 have had a decayed, filled, or missing primary or permanent tooth (source: CDC, 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report).
What is Custom Dental's Back to School Dental Care Day?
It is a single-day, walk-in-by-appointment event where Custom Dental of Newcastle provides free dental exams and X-rays to local kids before the new school year begins. Dr. Abigail Spears of Custom Dental told News9 the practice will hold "a Free Kids' Dental Day for kids that are 17 and younger" at its Newcastle location on August 3. The event is aimed at catching problems, especially cavities, before they turn into pain or missed school days once classes resume.
Who can sign up, and how?
Any child age 17 or younger is eligible, whether or not they are already a patient at the practice. Because spots are limited, families are asked to call the Newcastle office or reach out through the practice's website in advance to reserve a time rather than simply showing up the morning of the event.
What happens at the appointment?
Each child who is seen gets a free dental exam and X-rays. If the exam turns up a cavity, Custom Dental prioritizes the child's most extensive or urgent treatment needs on the day of the event itself, then schedules follow-up visits to finish any remaining work. That structure means a single August 3 appointment will not necessarily resolve every problem found, but it gets a child's most pressing dental issue addressed and a treatment plan started before school starts.
Why does a back to school dental visit matter this much?
Untreated dental pain has ripple effects well beyond the mouth. "Many people don't realize that oral health affects much more than the child's smile," Dr. Spears said. "When a child has dental pain, it affects their ability to eat, to sleep, to concentrate and to learn." That is not just a talking point from one practice: national data backs it up. The CDC's 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report found untreated decay is far more common among children from high poverty households than low poverty ones in both the 2 to 5 and 6 to 8 age groups, meaning the families with the least flexibility to pay for a dentist are also the ones most likely to be dealing with the problem heading into the school year.
Are there other free back to school dental events happening around the same time?
Yes. The Newcastle event lands right before National Health Center Week, which runs August 2 to 8, 2026, when federally qualified health centers around the country offer free or reduced-cost dental screenings for kids. Families who cannot make it to Newcastle, Oklahoma have other options over that same stretch, and it is worth checking our broader roundup of no-cost back to school dental exams opening across the country this summer for one closer to home.
| Option | When | Who it is for | What is offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Dental Back to School Dental Care Day | Monday, August 3, 2026, 8 a.m. to noon | Children 17 and under in the Newcastle, Oklahoma area | Free exam, X-rays, and priority treatment for the most urgent cavity found |
| National Health Center Week | August 2 to 8, 2026 | Families nationwide near a federally qualified health center | Free or reduced-cost dental and medical screenings, varies by center |
| Local pediatric dentist checkup | Year round, book ahead of the school year | Any family wanting a routine visit | Standard exam, cleaning, and X-rays as needed, typically billed to insurance or Medicaid |
For families outside the Oklahoma City area who want a standing relationship with a pediatric dentist rather than a one-day event, a directory search for a local practice, such as Children's Dental Professionals in Wichita, Kansas, is a reasonable next step once the free clinics wrap up.
How common is untreated tooth decay in kids, really?
More common than most parents assume. The CDC's 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report found that about 11 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have at least one primary tooth with untreated decay, and that figure climbs to nearly 18 percent for children ages 6 to 8. The gap by household income is stark: in the 6 to 8 age group, untreated decay affects roughly 25 percent of children in high poverty households compared with about 12 percent in low poverty households. Zooming out further, the same report found about half of children ages 6 to 9 have already had a decayed, filled, or missing primary or permanent tooth. Free events like Custom Dental's are aimed squarely at closing that gap before the school bell rings.
"Many people don't realize that oral health affects much more than the child's smile. When a child has dental pain, it affects their ability to eat, to sleep, to concentrate and to learn." — Dr. Abigail Spears, Custom Dental of Newcastle
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to already be a patient at Custom Dental to attend?
No. The event is open to any child age 17 or younger, not just existing patients, though families still need to call ahead to reserve a spot since availability is limited.
Is there a cost or insurance requirement?
The exam and X-rays are free on the day of the event. The News9 report and practice did not list an insurance or income requirement to attend.
What if my child needs more than one thing fixed?
Custom Dental prioritizes the most urgent or extensive treatment first and schedules follow-up appointments for anything else the exam finds.
What if I cannot get to Newcastle, Oklahoma on August 3?
Look at National Health Center Week, August 2 to 8, 2026, for free or reduced-cost screenings at a federally qualified health center near you, or check our roundup of back to school dental events for one in your area.
Updated July 2026.
