Michigan
Local Hero: Dr. C.

Dr. C has a history of helping out. During his 22 years of dental practice in Northern California, he volunteered his dental skills for everything from the U. S. Olympic Team to “Los Médicos Voladores” (The Flying Doctors of Mexico). Seven years ago, Dr. C. and his family relocated to Traverse City, the Northern Michigan city where he has been a DDS volunteer for almost five years. He and his 10-person office team “always did work for patients who were in need,” he says. “The biggest reason we signed up with DDS is that we had someone helping us to bring in the patients and to find labs to do the work.  Without labs volunteering, you wind up doing a lot of patchwork.” Dr. C. recalls a patient who had lost both of her legs and most of her teeth in a car accident. “We were able to make her a set of dentures, and somebody else in the community provided her with transportation.” As is the case with almost all DDS clients, the patient was deeply appreciative. Dr. C. believes that it’s important to reach out because “You get as much out of it as you give. There’s a saying that a poor man lives life for himself, but a rich man lives life for everyone else. I’m blessed to be a wealthy man,” he concludes.