AUBURN – Four area dental offices are joining together on Friday, Feb. 20, to offer free dental identification for safeguarding children to area youths ages 3 to 13.

Toothprints is a patented bite wafer that a child bites into and it records the tooth characteristics of that child. Like fingerprints, dental imprints are unique to every person, an accurate method of identification.

Because the fight against tooth decay has been so effective, many children have no dental records such as x-rays and fillings. Toothprints acts as that record. It can be kept by the parent and also has saliva and DNA which can help identify a lost child. Making a toothprint bite impression takes only a few minutes and is comfortable for the child.

Toothprint bite registrations are being provided by the following area offices: Advanced Dentistry, 220 Main St., Auburn; Dr. Daniel Bizier, 210 Sabattus St., Lewiston; Dr. James Helmkamp, 227 Mt. Auburn Ave., Auburn; Riverview Dental, 155 Center St., Auburn. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20. No appointment is necessary.