SARASOTA - More than 300 people received an early Christmas Gift on the Suncoast Saturday, and many say it's the best gift they ever got.

If you have a toothache, and you can't afford to see a dentist, it's hard to be merry.  However, a group of Suncoast dentists offered their services for free Saturday during "Project Christmas Smile."

People in need of dental care lined up and waited patiently long before the two participating dentists offices were to open at 8:00am.  Twenty Suncoast dentists and their staff's used their experience, training and expertise to solve whatever dental ailments they found.

Dr. Todd McCabe stated the services ranged from "cleaning, to filling, to extraction for the patients."

Caring for your dental health can get very expensive sometimes, but on Saturday, all was free.  Doctors were hoping to alleviate some of the financial burden this Christmas by making sure that no one will wake up with a toothache.

Project Christmas Smile is in its 6th year and the dentists say the need is greater than ever this year.  And some of those people may normally dread sitting in the dentist's chair, but patients on Saturday were very grateful.

The dentists said they were getting more than they were giving.  And as they left the dentists' office Saturday, many of those treated said that for the first time in a long time, they were not in pain, making that the best Christmas gift ever.