Pacific Dental Services® Foundation Provides $440,179 in Donated Dentistry to Underserved Patients in Ethiopia
PDS® Foundation and Smile Generation®-Trusted dentists treat over 550 patients in the Tigray Region
IRVINE, Calif. – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 – The Pacific Dental Services (PDS®) Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization committed to providing oral health care to those in need, traveled to the Tigray Region of Northern Ethiopia to provide comprehensive oral health care to patients in need in the communities of Mekelle and Hawzen. From September 13-21, members of the PDS Foundation and Smile Generation-trusted dentists and volunteers served alongside the Dental School at Mekelle University and the Relief Society of Tigray to provide dentistry for 555 patients.
“Every trip back to Ethiopia reminds us how fortunate we are to be able to provide more access to dental care to the patients of Mekelle and Hawzen,” said Kyle Guerin, Director, PDS Foundation & Corporate Social Responsibility. “It was clear the dental students were eager to work alongside our clinicians and they were committed to providing comprehensive oral health care to every patient they treated. Many patients traveled miles and even days to receive treatment, further underscoring the fact that the need for dental care is global.”
Since their first service trip to Ethiopia in 2014, the PDS Foundation has served more than 11,000 patients and provided more than $7,100,000 in donated dentistry. The PDS Foundation understands the critical need for dentistry in Ethiopia. According to the World Health Organization, it’s estimated that 71% of Ethiopians are affected by oral health-related illnesses. Smile Generation-trusted clinicians and volunteers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the Dental School at Mekelle University to provide coaching and training for their dental students. The clinicians provide patients with comprehensive oral health care, including cleanings, x-rays, scaling and root planing, restorations and extractions, if needed.
The PDS Foundation’s trip to Ethiopia is part of the organization’s mission to create opportunities to serve through improving oral healthcare locally, nationally, and internationally.
About Pacific Dental Services Foundation
The Pacific Dental Services Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to create opportunities to serve through improving oral healthcare locally, nationally and internationally. By creating opportunities to serve, the PDS Foundation positively enhances the lives of those in need, and in turn, those who serve. The Foundation provides access and advocacy to disadvantaged and underserved communities in four key areas: PDS Foundation Mobile Dental Clinic, Special Needs Advocacy and Training, Oral Health Scholarships, and International Trips. For more information, visit www.pdsfoundation.org.
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