ACCOLADES FOR AN AMAZINGLY ALTRUISTIC PROFESSION

For almost half my adult life I have worked around, with, and for dentists. I have found that the majority of these professionals share one trait---humanitarianism. Most dentists have an unusually deep concern for human welfare, promoted by their give-back philosophy and altruistic activities.

Heartwarming to witness, the variety of charitable care dentists give to individuals and to communities is limitless. Included in give-back activities are efforts like Give Kids a Smile Day, a nationwide program to treat kids who otherwise would not receive dental care; MOM (Missions of Mercy) in NC and similar programs in other states, dental care for the indigent who fall between the cracks of Medicaid or other programs; dental buses or vans equipped to deliver care in underserved areas, staffed by volunteer dentists and team members; organized mission trips to provide care for patients in third world countries; individual practitioners who accept some share of Medicaid patients even though Medicaid reimbursement does not cover office overhead costs in most states; and outright free care to area underprivileged and/or homeless.

Let me describe two specific ways I’ve seen give-back projects carried out.

• A practice with which I worked had a history of quarterly charity dental projects. Each quarter a different staff member made the choice of a recipient or recipients to receive dental care. Because the dentist had a line item in the practice budget each year for charity entitled the Benevolent Fund, staff members knew a dollar amount of dentistry to be delivered each quarter and suggested recipients accordingly. The entire team participated in these charitable efforts each time dental care was delivered.
• The second example of a “We Care” project was described in our local Greenville, NC newspaper on June 15, 2016, reprinted from a Charlotte, NC newspaper. A Charlotte oral surgeon has established a program he calls Second Chance, to give away dental implant surgery not typically covered by insurance or Medicaid. The oral surgeon who is also a physician said he created the program which he plans as an annual service to give back to his community. 200 applicants submitted completed entry forms. 50 of these were interviewed personally. Once the pool of applicants was reduced to 10, a second interview determined the winner, a female who had only 17 diseased teeth, so bad that she could not eat properly and refused to smile even though she was by nature a happy, giving person. In a seven hour surgery, the oral surgeon extracted her remaining teeth and implanted eight titanium posts. Then a pair of local prosthodontists who volunteered their services attached temporary dentures to serve until healing was completed. The ever-grateful patient is now living a different life---confident, employed, and smiling on the inside as well as the outside.

I applaud these and the many other examples of dentists “giving back” I have witnessed; too many stories to relate here. It is my honor to have worked alongside you philanthropic professionals for over 35 years. Keep up the good work and know that the care you pour out is returned by the general public as they name dentists among the top five most respected professionals in the country year after year.