Saving Lives through Charity Dentistry
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a life-threatening genetic muscle disorder that affects approximately 1 in 3,500 male births worldwide. There is no known cure. Where some may lose hope, Dr. Thomas Nabors, DDS, and his team united to contribute to ending this terrible disease.
Terry Marlin and his wife received the overwhelming news that their two sons, Jonah and Emory, had been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This currently incurable disease gradually deteriorates all muscles in the body. By age 8, both boys had lost the ability to walk. Doctors estimated their life expectancy would be in their mid to late twenties.
Dental Charity Ideas with Humanitarian Benefits
FightDMD, the foundation created by the Marlin family, has raised over $750,000 to fund DMD-related and other cardiac research projects.
Dr. Thomas Nabors chose FightDMD as the beneficiary of his practice’s Smiles For Life whitening campaign. Smiles for life is an annual event in which dental practices all over the country whiten teeth to raise money for children’s charities.
Ultradent agrees to donate all the whitening materials, the practice contributes the time, and 100 percent of the patient’s contribution goes directly to needy kids. Of the proceeds, half go to a local children’s charity of the dentist’s choice, and the other half to a Smiles-For-Life-approved children’s charity. It’s that simple. Whiten a smile and help a child.
By the end of the campaign, Dr. Nabors and his team had raised over $10,000 for FightDMD. They saw the benefit of brightening patients’ smiles and helping us progress towards the day when no more families will have to hear the devastating news that the Marlins did.
Choosing a Charity for your Whitening Campaign
There are many dental marketing charities that would love to be the recipient of your donations. There is also a great resource in Charity Watch a charity watchdog that checks charities and exposes nonprofit abuses.
A plug-and-play model would be to participate in Smiles For Life. Smiles for life is the perfect opportunity to do good in the world, create incredible unity among your team members and patients, and boost top-of-mind awareness for your practice through social media.
About the Author: Adrian Lefler is a dental marketing expert and a member of the dental social media marketing team at My Social Practice. Adrian is passionate about social media for dentists and helping practices implement effective digital marketing strategies.
