Sacramento, Calif. — Hosted by the California Dental Association Foundation and CDA, the CDA Cares volunteer dental clinic at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in northern San Diego County provided more than $1.6 million in charitable dental services to 2,203 people during the two-day event held Dec. 7-8.
This was the first CDA Cares event in Southern California and the fourth clinic held by CDA and the CDA Foundation since 2012 that provided dental services and oral health education at no charge to Californians who experience barriers to care.
“These events not only provide charitable care, but also highlight the importance of good oral health and the need for an adequately funded dental safety net, including a state dental director to coordinate programs to improve the oral health of Californians,” said CDA President James Stephens, DDS, who has volunteered at all four events. “CDA Cares has been instrumental in the partial restoration of Adult Denti-Cal, which is a crucial first step, but the state still needs to address the chronic underfunding of the Denti-Cal program.”
During the two-day event, dentists and dental professionals provided 12,518 dental procedures, including cleanings, fillings, extractions and oral health education. Additionally, volunteer dental lab technicians worked to create 221 complete and partial dentures and repairs.
The Del Mar Fairgrounds clinic was supported by nearly 1,700 volunteers, including more than 900 health professionals – dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, nurses and dental lab technicians – as well as hundreds of community volunteers who helped make the event a success.
“It is great to see so many dentists and volunteers coming together to donate their time and skills in order to give back to our communities. With this effort, we’ve had a tremendous impact across the state,” said Don Rollofson, DMD, chair of the CDA Foundation. “CDA Cares is truly the best of our profession in action.”
The next CDA Cares event is scheduled to be held in Solano County in April 2014. For more information, to register to volunteer or to donate, visit cdafoundation.org.
About the California Dental Association Foundation
The CDA Foundation was formed as the philanthropic arm of the California Dental Association in 2001 with the mission to improve the oral health of all Californians by supporting the dental health profession in its efforts to meet community needs. The CDA Foundation provides grants and scholarships to dental students and professionals, promotes
