Dr. Jesse Chai and his team at Bradford Family Dentistry in Bradford West Gwillimbury are doing it again.
On May 31, the team is gearing up for their ninth annual Dentistry From The Heart event – a day of free basic dental service, open to everyone, and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
The doors open at 8 a.m., and work will continue until 6 p.m. – providing free cleanings, fillings and extractions. Over the past eight years, Bradford Family Dentistry has provided more than $200,000 in free dental care to Ontarians, at the offices at 76 Holland St. W. in Bradford.
Dentistry From The Heart was launched in 2001 by Florida dentist Dr. Vincent Monticciolo, who was shocked when he learned that, as a result of an economic downturn, a huge number of Americans were foregoing basic dental services because they could not afford dental care.
To give back, he began providing free dental care at his office in New Port Richey – a concept that was embraced by other dental professionals.
Now, Dentistry From The Heart is a registered non-profit organization, and has inspired more than 300 events annually, not only in the U.S., but in Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
The Dentistry From The Heart event in Bradford has attracted patients from as far away as northern Ontario, some of whom line up in the wee hours of the morning, hoping to be among the first seen by Chai and his volunteers.
“It all comes down to wanting to provide something greater to my community,” said Chai – whose offices, decorated with movie and sports memorabilia and collectibles, have been giving patients a reason to smile.
“The services provided by us as part of Dentistry From The Heart help more than just a patient’s teeth, it gives each person a renewed confidence and a reason to smile,” Chai said.
For more information, see bradfordfamilydentist.ca or dentistryfromtheheart.org.
