Jerusalem Events

Dental Volunteers for Israel Receives Recognition from Mayor Lupolianski

Jerusalem's largest and most established free dental clinic, The Trudi Birger Dental Clinic - Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI), received a medal of recognition this week from Mayor Lupolianski. At a very warm meeting at the mayor's offices, Mayor Lupolianski noted the important work DVI is doing to improve the lives of Jerusalem's underprivileged children and at risk youth. Mayor Lupolianski took time out of his very busy schedule to meet the management of DVI and one it's of the long-standing volunteers, Dr. John Bengtson from Minnesota, USA. For twenty-five years, Dr. Bengtson, a devout Christian, has given up his time and knowledge by volunteering at DVI. He has volunteered nineteen times. Dr. Bengtson has accumulated nearly a year of volunteer service at DVI.

Mayor Lupolianski expressed his sincere appreciation for Dr. Bengtson's dedication and for his many years of service. He welcomed Dr. Bengston to volunteer in Jerusalem for another twenty-five years. Dental Volunteers for Israel program operates a free dental clinic in Jerusalem for disadvantaged children and at risk youth between the ages of five and eighteen. Although there are over 150,000 children in Jerusalem living below the poverty level, Jerusalem Municipality's Welfare Services determines the children who are eligible to receive care at the dental clinic. These children receive a full range of preventative and restorative dentistry. Most importantly, the children and their families receive a comprehensive oral health program at no cost, with regular check-ups. Over 12,000 treatments are performed at the clinic annually.

The clinic is operated by professional dentists who come from all corners of the world to volunteer at the clinic for periods ranging from one to four weeks. The volunteer dentists, together with their Israeli colleagues, provide state-of-the-art dental care to the underprivileged children and at risk youth of Jerusalem. Since the clinics inception in 1980, over 4,500 dentists from more than twenty countries have volunteered their professional services with D.V.I.