DTA Vision 21

The Dental Trade Alliance has been honored with an award for significant contributions to Donated Dental Services, a program of Dental Lifeline Network. To read more about DTA, go to DTA.The award was accepted by Gary Price as DDS celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 2011 National Association of Dental Laboratories Vision 21 Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. Presenting the award was Dental Lifeline Network President Fred Leviton. Formerly known as the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, Dental Lifeline Network is a charitable affiliate of the American Dental Association. Through DDS and other programs, the organization provides comprehensive dental care to people with disabilities, or who are elderly or medically at-risk and has a nationwide volunteer network of 15,000 dentists and 3,200 laboratories that contribute more than $22 million worth of needed services annually, including nearly $2 million in fabrications. “Without the outstanding support of the DTA, DDS could never have reached today’s milestone of providing dental therapies valued at $187 million to 101,000 people in 50 states,” Leviton noted. “The DTA has been instrumental in linking us with the dental trade industry, providing incalculable value in our ability to serve the needs of vulnerable people nationwide. We are profoundly grateful to the alliance, its foundation, and to our colleagues in the industry.”In addition to serving vulnerable individuals with disabilities or who are elderly, Dental Lifeline Network has seen a rapidly increasing need for dental services among people who are medically at-risk. Dental disease and acute need for care impact people with cancer who cannot receive chemotherapy, those with autoimmune diseases who cannot be administered lifesaving medications, cardiac patients who cannot be treated surgically, candidates for organ transplants, and people with crippling arthritis who are prevented from joint replacements.“For these people, the alternative to dental therapy and subsequent treatment for their medical conditions is a path to progressive illness or premature death,” said Leviton. “The DTA is invaluable in providing resources to help us address an increasing need for dental care among vulnerable people with acute medical conditions and dental disease.”For more information, go to www.dentaltradealliance.org.To comment on this topic, go to community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/.