Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and AGD Foundation to Provide Free Oral Care to Hundreds of Philadelphia's Underserved Residents

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Jun 13, 2012, 12:00 ET

CHICAGO, June 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Saturday, June 23, 2012, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the AGD Foundation will partner with the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine to hold its third annual community outreach project, "Nation of Smiles, One Smile at a Time." The event will take place during the AGD 2012 Annual Meeting & Exhibits, from June 21 to 24, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Hundreds of volunteer dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and University of Pennsylvania dental students and faculty anticipate providing free dental care to more than 500 Philadelphia residents. Patients will be pre-selected from a variety of local shelters, clinics, and charities. At the AGD 2011 "Nation of Smiles, One Smile at a Time" event in San Diego, Calif., AGD volunteers provided care to local homeless veterans; the value of the provided oral health care services was approximately $80,000, or $625 per patient. In 2010, at the AGD's first outreach event in New Orleans, La., AGD volunteers provided nearly $100,000 in free oral care to approximately 180 underserved area residents.

"For the past three years, we've offered an outreach project to coincide with the location of our annual meeting in order to give back to the community," says AGD President Howard Gamble, DMD, FAGD. "It is an honor for our association to serve residents of Philadelphia by providing the oral care that these individuals so desperately need. AGD volunteers are committed to ensuring that these patients receive the high level of care that is consistent with AGD members' commitment to oral and overall health."

Notable guests from the community have committed to attend the AGD outreach project in order to show their support for this effort, including Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. The media is welcome to attend for interview opportunities.

"Penn Dental Medicine plays a vital role in the delivery of oral health care at reduced costs to the West Philadelphia community. Unfortunately, our capacity to deliver this care is limited and many of our neighbors do not have the resources necessary or any access to oral health care," says Heywood Kotch, DMD, MAGD, Assistant Dean of Clinical Operations at Penn Dental Medicine. "This day of outreach will allow Penn to join forces with the AGD to highlight this dire need and to provide free care to a portion of our most needy neighbors."

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, located at 240 South 40th St., in Philadelphia, Pa.

This event is not open to the public due to its limited treatment capacity. Local community sources have identified patients in need of care for the event.

About the Academy of General Dentistry
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to providing quality dental care and oral health education to the public. AGD members stay up-to-date in their profession through a commitment to continuing education. Founded in 1952, the AGD is the second largest dental association in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively represents the needs and interests of general dentists. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients' oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, visit www.agd.org.

About the AGD Foundation
The mission of the AGD Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the AGD, is to passionately support the efforts of the general dentist toward improving the oral health of the public.

If you are a member of the media and would like to attend this outreach event, please contact Lauren Henderson, AGD public relations coordinator, at 312.440.4974.

SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry