Tokuyama Empowers, Tokuyama Dental America’s corporate social responsibility program, has donated more than $18,000 of dental products to Homeless Not Toothless. The nonprofit is committed to raising the pride and dignity of underserved children through quality and compassionate dental services. It focuses particularly on foster children living below the poverty line and in low-income areas without insurance benefits.
With the donated products, Homeless Not Toothless will provide dental care to thousands of underserved children in the South Los Angeles area. South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, and Watts have been recognized as a low-income suburban area with lower educational attainment within its catchment by the California Community Foundation. Dental care is lacking in this area, and residents live below the poverty line.
With dental issues being the number one reason for absenteeism, Homeless Not Toothless aims to ensure children get to school and receive an education. Children who do not receive proper dental care are more likely to miss school than those who have preventive care, the nonprofit notes. The US Department of Health Human Services estimates that 51 million school hours are lost each year because of dental related illness, and children from lower income families are 12 times more likely to miss school due to dental problems.
“Underserved children face significant barriers to dental care. We are happy to partner with Homeless Not Toothless to address unmet dental needs that are hindering children from achieving their full potential,” said Masa Ogata, CEO of Tokuyama Dental America.
Tokuyama Empowers strives to increase access to dental care for underserved and uninsured populations by collaborating with nonprofits, free clinics, national and local associations, and volunteer dentists. It supports its partners through product donations, enabling low-income people to receive the care they need to improve their health and quality of life, according to the company.
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