Community Corner
'Smile, It's Free:' Dentistry For Homeless, Uninsured
Dentists, their staffs and volunteers serve the underserved in Walnut Creek and Concord.
Decked in blue T-shirts that read, "Smile, It's Free," a group of central Contra Costa dental professionals and community organization volunteers performed fillings, cleanings and extractions for more than 100 homeless and uninsured people Saturday.
The effort was called Dentistry From Our Heart.
"Our mission is to serve the underserved," said Dr. Stephen Eriksen of Walnut Creek, whose Ygnacio Valley Road office provided some of the 15 chairs in use for the philanthropic effort in Walnut Creek and Concord. "Our vision is to grow this a lot more."
The group of dentists included two oral surgeons and a periodontal surgeon to diversify the diagnoses and services provided, Eriksen said.
About 75 volunteers — including the Kiwanis Club of Walnut Creek, the Key Club at Northgate High and Young Life from Mount Diablo High — helped organize the event. Noah's Bagels and Peet's Coffee provided refreshments.
Among the dentists whose office staff participated: Ali Alijanian, Adriano Bottene, John Bruns, Ty and Susan Caldwell, Andrew Marshall, Lynne Martz-Marshall, Yukio Nakamura, Bridget Powers, Michael Rebbotaro, Steven Shuff, Robert Stirm and Benjamin Tsaur.
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