Indiana
Local Hero: Dr. Bi

“People feel better about themselves when they can smile,” says Dr. B, who is entering her twentieth year of general dental practice in suburban Indianapolis (she worked with her father, Dr. John Borkowski, until his retirement at the end of 2006). Dr. B. has volunteered for DDS since 1997 because “it’s a good way to help those who could use our services.”  Her most recent DDS client was a woman in her 70s who had lost her denture more than 10 years before. “She needed to work, but found it difficult to get a job without teeth,” says Dr. B. “We made her a denture and it really changed her appearance. She was so appreciative.” Dr. B. praises Ann Farkas, Indiana’s DDS Indiana coordinator, for her skill in coordinating DDS clients, getting the labs involved, and making sure that there aren’t too many patients for any one dentist. Dr. B. also works with the newly formed Indianapolis District Dental Society Foundation, which creates funds to put back into the community where dentistry is needed. “It is our duty as dentists who practice and enjoy a good lifestyle to give back to the community,” she says. “With DDS, it’s so easy to take care of people’s needs, and they’re all so appreciative—it’s just a good thing to do.”