This past weekend, the Chandler team went the extra mile to help those in need! On October 7, 2018, Bright Now! Dental in Chandler, Arizona hosted a Day of Giving event to provide free dental services to underinsured individuals from the surrounding communities. These services can include x-rays, exams, fillings, extractions, cleanings, fluoride treatments, oral cancer screenings, and more.
Patient Krisha B., who had not visited a dentist in years, praised the Chandler team for their acts of kindness: “I’d like to thank all of you for having this event today, I really appreciate what you’ve done for my daughter and me! I feel so good again!”
The Smiles for Everyone Foundation partnered with local non-profits in order to pre-screen and refer patients such as Krisha to the dental clinic. When the Foundation connected with the Phoenix Rescue Mission, a long-term recovery program that also provides housing and support services for individuals overcoming addiction, Pamela Morrison, Community Relationship Officer for Phoenix Rescue Mission, expressed her excitement about the opportunity. She says that the facility relies on community partnerships to provide services for their clients, and that dental care is not something that is offered to them often. Pamela took the opportunity to get her clients their much-needed dental care, and was able to schedule 20 patients for the day.
Leanne Meier, Office Manager of Bright Now! Dental, was also passionate about connecting with the local VA for this Day of Giving. She knows that access to dental care is hard to obtain for veterans, since dental benefits are only provided for those who are considered 100% disabled, and she wanted to give back to those who bravely served our country. Over 20 veterans and their families received services from our volunteers through this event. Leanne noted that after promoting the event to the local VA, community members were calling her office thanking her for providing these services to the local veterans.
Our Day of Giving events would not be possible without help from Smile Brands Inc. affiliated dental offices and local non-profit partners in the community. Volunteer providers at the event included Dr. Mojdeh Anvari, Dr. Braxton Haremza, Dr. Pavan Narla, and hygienists Cheri Beckmann Tucci, Linda Carney, Melinda Evans, Teresa Sundquist, and Coni Waltemeyer.
Overall, the Chandler team served over 50 patients, delivering over $35,000 in donated dentistry. Thanks for your hard work!