To learn more about Free Dentistry Day, go to www.jbdfromtheheart.org
“I have never camped out for anything before, but this day came as a blessing for me,” said Teresa Jones. She arrived at the Jones Bridge Dental Care offices from Stone Mountain at 3:45 a.m. on Saturday. She patiently stood in line, with at least 100 people in front of her, for the doors to open at 7 a.m. for the Alpharetta-based dentist office.
People started lining up as early as 11 a.m. on the Friday before to guarantee a spot for the annual Free Dentistry Day, an event that was started by Dr. Leo Yelizarov as a way to give back to the community.
“There are people in our community that need dental services, and with the times being a little tough, they can’t afford them,” Yelizarov said. “This event is our way of paying it forward, and being there for the people who are in need of dental work in our community.”
The annual community-wide event sees close to 200 patients who are in need of dental care. With the help of volunteer dentists and staff, patients were provided with examinations, digital x-rays, blood pressure and oral cancer screenings, and a choice of an extraction, filling or cleaning.
“Our volunteers make this whole mission possible,” said Juan Pasmin, office manager and volunteer coordinator for Free Dentistry Day. With over 60 volunteer staff members rotating within the eight-hour day, “we are able to see and help as many people as possible,” Pasmin added. “We always want volunteers and we hope people become a part of the event by either getting involved or spreading the word for next year.”
The event is in its fifth year and has helped over 600 people and donated over $250,000 worth of services to the community since it started.
“I hope to inspire all dentists to do the same thing for their local communities and give back to those in need,” added Yelizarov, who is deeply involved in community service. “It is our community that has helped us prosper, and we hope to be able to help them do the same.”
In other news: Smithfield Foods and Kroger donated 32,000 pounds of protein to Hosea Feed the Hungry on June 26. The donation comes in part of Smithfield's Helping Hungry Homes tour, an initiative to help families and individuals across the country become more food secure. The contribution will help more than 600,000 children and families in the greater Atlanta community that don't have access to regular, nutritious meals during the summer months.
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