Sunday, November 27th, 2011 in New York City

Each November at the beginning of the Greater New York Dental Meeting, we gather to celebrate the work of Dental Volunteers for Israel while raising money to support the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic in Jerusalem.  This year we are honored to have Dr. Gordon Christensen as our dinner guest and featured speaker.

Do we have you on our mailing list?  If you are interested in attending this exciting event, or you would just like to stay in the loop with American Friends of DVI, contact us, and we’ll be sure to stay in touch.

For thirty years, Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI) has been offering free dental care for children of ages five to eighteen.

Dr Nedal Alayyan was named DVI Volunteer of the Year. During his remarks, Alayyan recounted his experience as a child growing up in Jerusalem and being treated at the DVI clinic. Inspired by that early experience, Alayyan became a dentist himself and now gives back to today’s children of Jerusalem through DVI.

Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, delivered the evening’s keynote address. In remembering the late Trudi Birger, founder of DVI, Bergman said, “Trudi was a humanitarian, a visionary and an entrepreneur. She realized that a healthy smile enables a child to eat, sleep, study and grow up without the distraction of pain associated with poor oral health.”

“Now in its 30th year, the energy of the DVI program continues to grow, as evidenced by the letters of praise and support the organization received every day from volunteers of all walks of life, in every dental specialty, and from all over the world,” Bergman said.

Ambassador Meron Reuben, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations and to Columbia, also offered remarks to gala attendees.

Steve Kess, vice president of global professional relations for Henry Schein, Dr Allen Helfer, president of the American Friends of DVI, and Ran Tuttnauer, CEO of Tuttnauer Ltd. and a member of the DVI board, were also honored.

Since its founding in 1980, DVI has been providing free dental care to Jerusalem’s most underprivileged children. At the state-of-the-art Trudi Birger Dental Clinic, children of all faiths referred by the Department of Social Welfare are treated by dentists from around the world.

Volunteering services range from routine to complex dental procedures. DVI also runs a comprehensive preventative dental care program to help young patients develop good, long-term oral health habits. This worldwide work is made possible not only by the dentists who come to Israel and donate their time and expertise, but also by businesses and individuals who donate supplies, equipment and financial resources for DVI’s operating budget.

DVI’s Trudi Birger Dental Clinic is the only free facility of its kind in Jerusalem – without it thousands of children would have no access to dental care. Children in need from all religious and ethnic groups are treated at the clinic, and every child who comes to the clinic participates in an oral health education session with their family to promote improved oral hygiene for life. Since its founding, the clinic has treated more than 20,000 children. In 2009 the clinic provided 13,411 treatments for 3,353 children with the help of its staff and 141 volunteer dentists.

Although oral care is a key contributor to overall health, it is often considered an unaffordable luxury to underserved people who have little choice but to do without it. The situation is dire in Israel. Right now there are over 50,000 children living in poverty in Jerusalem and the numbers are continuing to rise. DVI treats thousands of these children each month at the clinic, yet there are still thousands more who need help.

There is no other organization that provides comprehensive free dental care and education to disadvantaged children in Israel. DVI has won awards from the mayor of Jerusalem, the Israel Ministry of Health and the Movement for a Better Israel, which lauded DVI for encouraging brotherhood and tolerance between Jews and Arabs.

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The event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the DVI Trudi Berger Dental Clinic. Stan Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein Inc.; Dr. Amid Ismail, dean, The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University; Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.); Dr. Gordon Christensen; and Dr. D. Walter Cohen serve as honorary chairmen.

They will be on hand as the American Friends of DVI honors Dr. Alan Helfer, American Friends of DVI president; Steve Kess, vice president, global professional relations for Henry Schein Inc.; and Ran Tuttnauer, CEO, Tuttnauer Co. and DVI board member; for their dedication and support to the mission of bringing free dental care to indigent children in Jerusalem of every race, religion and ethnicity.

For more information on the event or to register, visit the organization’s website:www.americanfriendsofdvi.org.

Click to read this article on ada.org

By Stacie Crozier - Click to view this article on the ADA website.

Jerusalem – In a melting pot city where thousands of indigent children lack access to oral health care, the Dental Volunteers for Israel Trudi Birger Dental Clinic has spent 30 years focusing on its mission: “To prevent suffering of Jerusalem’s indigent children and youth – of all ethnic and religious backgrounds – from physical and psychological pain by providing quality dental care and oral health education.”

All qualified children ages 5-18 can find a dental home in the free clinic that is staffed with Israeli pediatric dentists and team members, plus a constant rotation of international dentist volunteers. Since its founding, the clinic has treated more than 20,000 children.

Jerusalem’s Social Welfare Service and at-risk youth centers refer patients to the clinic. According to Israeli government statistics, some 200,000 Jerusalem children live in poverty.

Before receiving treatment, children and their parents must participate in a preventive health care program provided on-site by the dental hygienists to learn about oral health and how to care for their teeth. The preventive program sees about 600 children and parents each month.

n 2009 the clinic provided 13,411 treatments for 3,353 children with the help of its staff and 141 volunteer dentists. DVI is also an authorized training facility for pediatric dentistry residents from Hebrew University, and about four residents switch out quarterly each year to serve pediatric dentistry rotations in the clinic.

Volunteer dentists treat patients five days a week for one to four weeks and pay their own transportation costs to and from Jerusalem. DVI supplies them with housing for themselves and a couple of guests or family members. Volunteers can use Fridays and Saturdays for sightseeing and vacation time. DVI staff members help volunteers to obtain a temporary license to practice in the clinic.

“We make it easy for dentists around the world to come and volunteer,” said Michelle Levine, DVI’s director of international relations and development. “Everything is ready for them. All they need to do is come and focus on the dentistry. There are no concerns, no paperwork, and they can provide optimal care for our patients without consideration of cost constraints. Our clinic brings the whole world of dentistry together in a positive way.”

Since it was founded in 1980, the clinic has drawn more than 4,500 dentist volunteers – more than half non-Jewish – from 34 countries in North and South America, Europe, Africa and New Zealand. Support from charitable donations comes from around the globe and finances about 95 percent of the clinic’s budget.

“A lopsided percentage of the free clinic’s budget is composed of in-kind donations (which must be legally recorded in DVI’s budget), such as the time of volunteer dentists, as well as clinic supplies, which are primarily donated by Henry Schein Cares and other philanthropic companies like Premier USA,” said Ms. Levine. “Thanks to this combined effort of dentists, industry leaders and private donors, DVI is such a cost-efficient nonprofit organization that every dollar donated makes an incredible impact.”

“I get a little twang before I go,” says Dr. Susan Gross, a general dentist in suburban Minneapolis who has made four trips to volunteer at the DVI clinic. “This clinic has such an interesting model. Patients and parents have a big responsibility to keep up with oral care between visits, or they can’t continue as patients there. The model stresses continuity of care and all kids are treated equally. It’s a peaceful and caring place in one of the most volatile parts of the world, and it’s very fulfilling to be a part of it.”

Dr. Gross, who is Jewish, says she learned about the clinic from a Christian colleague who regularly volunteers there. “I know a little bit of Hebrew and I like to practice it when I’m there,” she says. “The kids laugh at me when I make mistakes. I also enjoy exploring the cultural and religious activities there during my free time.”

At home, Dr. Gross also teaches part time at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, working with residents in the general practice residency program. Her volunteer efforts in Minneapolis include serving on the dental board, the alumni association and the Give Kids A Smile committee.

“I know you don’t have to get on a plane to help provide access to dental care. There’s a lot we can do in our own communities,” Dr. Gross added. “But at the DVI clinic, you’re not involved in a short-term program. You’re not just doing extractions or working in temporary facilities. You can immerse yourself in providing care. You’re not wasting time and resources, because the staff here is organized and the program is well established. Volunteers can provide high-quality care and the children get continuity of care, no matter who is volunteering when they come to the clinic.”

For the past eight years, Dr. Otice Z. Helmer Jr., a general dentist in Fort Worth, Texas, has observed a new tradition in celebrating Christmas – volunteering at the DVI clinic.

“I saw a little notice in the ADA News about 15 years ago,” said Dr. Helmer, “asking for volunteer dentists to travel to Jerusalem. I cut it out and stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it. But it came to the surface again and I called. I explained that my office was usually closed for the Christmas holidays so that would be a good time for me to go, and they put me on the schedule.”

Now, he and his wife Brenda make the two-week trip every year. Brenda helps DVI staff with the preventive program activities, gathering children and families, showing a dental health education video and passing out toothbrushes, while Dr. Helmer (known as “Dr. Z”) works in the clinic.

“We have a big family gathering at Thanksgiving, but once we get on the plane for Israel, we are in work mode,” said Dr. Helmer. “As Christians, we feel that because Jesus served others while he was on earth, he would support us helping children on Christmas day.”

The Helmers will visit Israel twice this year, he added. “Since we’ve begun volunteering for DVI, we’ve made a lot of friends in Israel. In August, two of our friends are getting married, so we are going to attend the wedding. I told the clinic I could help out while I’m there, so I will be a back-up dentist if they need help.”

Dr. Robin Katzman, a general dentist in Orlando, Fla., said from the time she graduated from dental school she knew she wanted to volunteer in Israel.

“After establishing a practice and raising a family, I was finally able to go for the first time in 2003,” said Dr. Katzman. “It was a great fit for me because at least half the patients in my practice are children. I was doing exactly what I like to do.”

Now preparing for her seventh trip this month, Dr. Katzman said her volunteer experiences “pick me up professionally and spiritually. My patients at home really love that I do this. It makes them feel good about their dentist and about dentistry in the U.S.”

Volunteering for DVI, said Dr. Michael Goldberg, a Manhattan dentist, former dental educator and vice president of the American Friends of DVI, helps give him a broader perspective about international relations.

“I’ve been volunteering for DVI since 1984, and I have worked with dentists from all over the world,” said Dr. Goldberg. “Last year, I worked with dentists from Norway, Finland and Chile. The clinic brings dentists from all over the world to treat children of all backgrounds. What we are trying to accomplish is not just helping children’s oral health. We are trying to bring the world together – something that in Judaism we refer to as ‘tikkun olam,’ a phrase that means ‘repairing the world.’”

Dr. Goldberg is also a firm believer in the practical benefits volunteering can have on a dentist’s career.

“I say the best practice management advice I can give a colleague is to volunteer. Giving your time away makes you feel more entitled. It keeps your enthusiasm up. It keeps you current and energized.”

Dr. Goldberg also spends time working to obtain charitable donations for the clinic through the American Friends of DVI. He is chair for the organization’s international gala planned for November (See story, this page).

The clinic’s mission has already come full circle, Dr. Goldberg added, since one of its past patients, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem, is now one of its volunteer dentists.

Dr. Nedal Alayyan, a patient from 1984-93, now practices dentistry in East Jerusalem and has volunteered in the clinic since 2006. His story is profiled in a DVI brochure available to donors, potential donors and volunteers.

“From my first day at the clinic, DVI dentists were so kind to me, so concerned with me personally, inquiring about me, rewarding me with a gift they’d brought from abroad to Israel,” said Dr. Alayyan. “From that moment, I knew I wanted to be a dentist – and especially to treat children with kindness and compassion, because children really need this extra level of care.”

“Today, I treat many patients with Down syndrome who are rejected by other clinics – having learned from DVI dentists how patience, kindness and a gentle touch makes a profound difference,” said Dr. Alayyan. “DVI dentists treat every child equally. Jewish dentists treated me with kindness. I will do the same with Jewish children. I learn to be a better dentist from so many dentists around the world – it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I want to give back to DVI, but I end up still on the receiving end.”

More information on the DVI clinic is available at the website, www.dental-dvi.org.il, and you can also find it on Facebook, YouTube and the ADA International Volunteer website.

To learn about other international dental volunteer opportunities visit the ADA International Volunteer website, http://internationalvolunteer.ada.org or contact the ADA Division of Global Affairs, 1-312-440-2726 or international@ada.org.

Henry Schein has supported DVI since 1993.

“Dental Volunteers for Israel is doing important work to enhance the access to health care of underserved children in Israel, and we are pleased to have supported this work for 16 years,” said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and chief executive officer for Henry Schein.

“Through Henry Schein Cares, we are helping to narrow the disparity in the delivery of health-care services and information to underserved communities in the U.S. and abroad,” he added. “We also are proud to have Keith Drayer, Henry Schein’s Vice President of Financial Services, serve on the DVI Board of Directors.”

The Jerusalem-based Dental Volunteers for Israel, the longest running clinic of its kind in Israel, provides free dental care to underserved children. Founded in 1980, this non-for-profit clinic has provided treatment to more than 20,000 children in the past 29 years.

Volunteer dentists from around the world, together with Israeli colleagues, perform 1,000 to 1,200 treatments each month. More than 100 children ages 5 to 18 in Jerusalem receive free care every day.

On June 24, 2009, Israeli President Shimon Peres presented DVI with the Presidents Award for Volunteerism, the highest recognition an Israeli volunteer organization can receive for its services to the community.

“Everyone at Dental Volunteers for Israel deeply appreciates the continued support of Henry Schein,” said Allen R. Helfer, DDS, MSc, chairman of the American Friends of Dental Volunteers for Israel.

“By supplying the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic, Henry Schein helps make it possible for us to provide optimum dental care to the indigent children of Jerusalem, regardless of race or religion.”

Article:http://www.rdhmag.com/display_article/367301/54/none/none/IndNw/Henry-Schein,-Dental-Volunteers-for-Israel-recognize-16-year-partnershi

(From Left to Right): Dr. Robert N. Lipner, Dr. P. Deborah Weisfuse, Dr. Allen R. Helfer, Dr. Stanley F. Malamed, Dr. David Weinstein, Dr. Michael J. Goldberg, and Dr. Scott Dubowsky

The forth annual American Friends of Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI) Lecture held on May 26th,, 2010 at The Morgan Stanley Building was a huge success. The event brought in a record number of attendees, who came to hear Dr. Stanley Malamed speak. Dr. Malamed is a prominent figure in the health profession industry in local anesthesia and emergency medicine. He kindly donated his time to lecture on “Emergency Medicine: 10 Minutes to Save a Life”. All proceeds from the lecture will be donated to the Trudi Birger Children’s Dental Clinic in Jerusalem.