Community
I have always felt that my work as a dentist should extend beyond my own practice to help those in the community who are underserved. I have participated as a volunteer at the Prince William Area Free Clinic for several years, working with staff members and my children. I have also realized that the Free Clinic is limited in the services they can provide to their clientele, so in addition to working at the clinic I see referred patients in my office, often providing more complicated services such as root canal therapy, that can not be accommodated in the clinic. If a Prince William county resident needs the services of the Free Clinic, they can call : (703) 344-4347 to ask about eligibility and clinic appointments.
Another public service that is arranged through the Virginia Dental Society is the Mission of Mercy. These trips involve organization on a large scale to provide dental care to underserved areas of Virginia during two-day health clinics. I have worked with this group in southwestern Virginia and it is truly amazing to see so many dental professionals come together to provide care.
Of course, my major goal in the community is prevention, so people don’t end up with massive dental problems that threaten their overall health. With this in mind, I make an effort to provide education to families of young children to help break the cycle of dental decay. We visit schools and day care centers to teach about caring for teeth for the whole family.
