Nationwide, over 2,500 underserved patients received donated oral healthcare on the 12th annual day of service, which took place Saturday, August 20, 2022.
On Saturday, August 20th, more than 700 PDS-supported dental practices located throughout the United States provided donated dental care to over 2,500 patients, including some life changing procedures such as CEREC® CAD/CAM same-day dental restorations, implants, root canals, oral surgery, and much-needed dental cleanings. In addition, hundreds of PDS team members and families joined community service projects such as park and beach clean-ups, blood drives, creating cards of encouragement for children undergoing cancer treatment, packing back-to-school kits with supplies, and serving in local food banks.
“Smile Generation Serve Day has become a substantial part of our organization,” said Stephen E. Thorne IV, Founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services. “The act of service changes our hearts and minds about what matters most in life. This annual event gives us the opportunity to selflessly engage with the communities we serve and help them improve their health. This year’s success is evident through thousands of lives that have been positively impacted by the hearts of our team members and their gift of over 55,000 hours of service.”
Patients treated during this year’s event included U.S. military veterans and those affiliated with non-profit organizations, such as Special Olympics, Future Smiles, The Freedom Child Foundation, Dental Lifeline Network, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Adopt-A-Vet Dental Program, The Kaufman Fund, After Innocence, and more.
After Innocence is a non-profit organization that provides free assistance to America's exonerees – people released from prison after having been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Since 2018, After Innocence has partnered with PDS-supported dental practices to provide more than 200 exonerees a total of over $650,000 in donated dental services on Smile Generation Serve Day, clearing the way for a lifetime of good oral health. The event preparation includes orchestrating the complex logistics of having dozens of exonerees visiting a dentist on the same day, including pre-screening patients located in all parts of the country and scheduling them for services.
“After Innocence provides free post-release support to exonerees across the country, many of whom who have serious dental problems arising from years of inadequate care while in prison, and a general lack of good, affordable care since being released,” said Jon Eldan, Executive Director of After Innocence. “Smile Generation Serve Day is a game-changer for dozens of our exoneree-clients. Welcoming our exoneree clients into dental practices offices for pro bono services helps these deserving individuals take an important step in rebuilding their lives after wrongful convictions.”
This year’s success was also due to Smile Generation’s partnership with Modivcare, a healthcare services company that provides supportive care solutions to underserved patient populations. This includes access to non-emergency medical transportation, personal care, remote patient monitoring, and meal services. For the second consecutive year, Modivcare offered transportation services to patients in Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Florida, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia to dental clinics free of charge on Smile Generation Serve Day.
“We were pleased to support Smile Generation’s Serve Day as it aligns perfectly with our purpose to improve access to care for the underserved,” said Heath Sampson, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Modivcare. “The socioeconomic disparities of healthcare extend to dental care as well. Not all Americans are given the same opportunity when it comes to accessing basic needs. Transporting patients to their medical and dental appointments eliminates barriers to care and helps to promote health equity.”
Since its founding in 1994, PDS has been committed to providing business and operational support to dental clinicians to facilitate their focused ability to provide patients with exceptional oral healthcare designed to keep them healthier and happier. This includes education on the link between oral health and overall health – what PDS and its supported practices call The Mouth-Body Connection®. Research shows that harmful bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can indicate and even cause systemic conditions throughout the body. Periodontal disease has been connected to systemic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, pregnancy complications that result in pre-term/low-weight births, and more. Conversely, the link is often bi-directional. Many systemic diseases, conditions, and even medications can affect a patient’s oral health.
For more on the culture of service in PDS-supported practices, please click here.
