Dental Organization to Provide Free Oral Care to Homeless Military Veterans

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Jul 25, 2011, 12:20 ET

CHICAGO, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30, 2011, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), a professional association of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up to date in the profession through continuing education to better serve the public, along with the AGD Foundation, will team up to hold its second community outreach project, Nation of Smiles, One Smile at a Time. The event will be held during the AGD Annual Meeting & Exhibits, July 28 to 31, 2011, in San Diego, Calif.

The AGD expects that more than 150 patients from the Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) will receive free dental care from volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants. With five locations throughout San Diego County, VVSD is dedicated to "leave no one behind" as a nationally-recognized leader in providing prevention, intervention, treatment, and employment services to military veterans, including men and women who have recently returned from service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"While the AGD is in San Diego for our annual meeting, we've developed an outreach project with the purpose of giving back to the community in which we are visiting," says AGD President Fares Elias, DDS, JD, FAGD. "It is quite an honor for our organization to serve the military veterans of VVSD by providing the oral care that these individuals so desperately need."

The event will be held on Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30, 2011, at the San Diego Convention Center, located at 111 W. Harbor Drive. Patient treatment on Friday will occur from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This event is not open to the public because of its limited capacity; the VVSD has identified patients in need of dental care prior to the event.

"These military veterans have given so much of themselves by serving their country and the AGD is proud to give back to them," says Dr. Elias.

If you are a member of the media and would like to attend, please contact Stefanie Schroeder, AGD public relations manager, at 724.612.6612.

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 staying up to date in the profession through continuing education to better serve the public. Founded in 1952, the AGD has grown to become 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. More than 772,000 persons in the United States are employed directly in the field of dentistry. 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, please 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.

About the Veterans Village of San Diego

Founded in 1981, VVSD is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to "Leave No One Behind." VVSD is a nationally-recognized leader in providing prevention, intervention, treatment, and employment services to military veterans, including men and women who have recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. VVSD was featured on "CBS 60 Minutes" in October 2010. Each year VVSD provides services to more than 2,000 military veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country. To learn more about VVSD visit our website at www.vvsd.net. Join VVSD on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/VVSD.Veterans or Twitter at @VVSD_Veterans.

SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry