Due to a dreadful car accident, Miriam suffered a broken back and neck that caused three extensive surgeries and loss of income for her and her husband. Although she is under the care of a pain clinic, the pain medication destroyed her teeth. Thanks to Michigan dentist Dr. Matthew Gietzen, Miriam’s mouth is healthy again and her quality of life is improving.
When I joined Dental Lifeline Network six months ago as DentaCheques manager, I was surprised to learn that there are many thousands of people just like Miriam who desperately need dental care they cannot afford. They are people you may know who live on limited fixed incomes or have disabilities or are elderly. They might even need dental care to qualify for life-changing or life-saving treatments like chemotherapy, cardiac surgery, organ transplants and joint replacements. Did you know that Medicare doesn’t cover dental care and Medicaid, the public assistance program for low-income individuals, provides little or no dental care for adults?
Dental Lifeline Network is a national humanitarian organization that serves as a final safety net for people like Miriam who have nowhere else to turn. Our Donated Dental Services (DDS) program has over 15,000 volunteer dentists and 3,200 volunteer labs nationwide and has provided $200 million in care to 106,000 people in the last 25 years.
Patterson Dental is an amazing supporter of Dental Lifeline Network in many ways, including its involvement with DentaCheques, one of our largest sources of funding for patients in need. While volunteer dentists and labs donate their time and materials, funding is needed to support their work and provide patient screening, referrals and care coordination. That’s where DentaCheques helps. Patterson territory representatives sell DentaCheques books without compensation, because it is the right thing to do.
We, along with thousands of people across the country, are overwhelmingly grateful for Patterson’s support. To find out more, please visit www.DentalLifeline.org. Check back with Off the Cusp in January for more information about DentaCheques 2012.
I am a senior that will soon be 69 and was injured in a car wreck in 2003. I am 100% disabled and need some dental work. One tooth had the filling taken out 3 years ago and they were to do a crown. This was never worked on again. One dentist put in a new crown and in doing so he ground off the whole tooth leaving no place for the crown and it is glued into my nerves. He offer to replace it but I have a bulging disc in my neck and whiplash, also a damaged brain stem. I am living off of my medicare and medicaid. I need someone in Clay county, MO in Kansas City, MO
north of the river 64117 to help. I no longer drive much. My phone # is 816-413-9255.
Do you have any offices in Florida? I live in Plant City and am in dire need of dentures. I just had my 10th. back surgery and need to gain some weight, but due to the fact that I cannot chew food without any teeth, it’s very hard to gain on a liquid diet!
Thanks,
Paul Biese