Great Expressions Dental Centers, Largest Dental Group in Southeastern Michigan, Aids in Prevention and Earlier Rescue of Missing Children

    BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Expressions Dental
 Centers, the largest provider of dental services in southeastern Michigan, is
 offering a FREE dental identification system for children called
 Toothprints(R), with the support of WB20 Detroit.  This free service is
 available at all 45 local Great Expressions locations, for a limited time only
 -- June 28 to July 28, 2004.
     Great Expressions understands that the greatest fear facing parents today
 is that their child might get lost, or worst yet, abducted.  This simple
 product gives the authorities the forensic information needed to assist in
 locating or identifying a missing or abducted child.
     Toothprints(R) is a simple procedure where a child is asked to bite down
 on a heated arch-shaped wafer.  After only a few minutes, the wafer is placed
 inside a plastic bag and given to the parent for safekeeping.  In such a short
 time, parents are given the peace of mind in knowing that they have the tools
 needed to assist authorities in the event of an emergency.
     Like fingerprints, tooth characteristics are unique to every person --
 even identical twins can have different tooth positions.  What sets
 Toothprints apart is, unlike fingerprints, Toothprints(R) also gives a second
 line of defense to families -- a child's DNA.
     According to the Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited
 Children, Peter Banks, there can be sufficient amounts of proteins in the
 saliva that remain on the wafer from which a DNA test can be successfully
 performed.  In addition, Toothprints(R) may also be used as an article for
 scent dogs when tracking a missing child.
     Great Expressions is enthusiastically offering this service to the
 community, free of charge, in the hopes that no one will ever need to use it!
     For more information on Toothprints, contact Kerr Corporation, toll free
 phone in the US/Canada 800-537-7132 or on the web at
 http://www.kerrdental.com .  Kerr Corporation is a subsidiary of Sybron Dental
 Specialties, a member of the New York Stock Exchange (SYD).
     For more information on Great Expressions Dental Centers, toll free phone
 888-SMILE-80 or on the web at http://www.greatexpressions.com .  Great
 Expressions Dental Centers, a Michigan based company, owns and operates 65
 dental offices in 4 states -- Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and Georgia.
 
     GEDC Contact information:      Kristin Bard, Assistant to the CEO
                                    Direct Phone: 1-248-203-1103
                                    Kristin.bard@greatexpressions.com
 
 

SOURCE  Great Expressions Dental Centers