Something to Smile About: California Honors Direct Relief's Martha Angeles for Helping Children Obtain Dental Care
Direct Relief's Angeles Honored by State for Contributions to Dental Health
SANTA BARBARA, CA (September 17, 2007) Direct Relief International's Martha Angeles will be honored by the State of California's Children's Dental Disease Prevention Program with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her extensive contributions to dental health over the past 17 years.
The award, which is given to two individuals, will be presented today at the CDDPP's annual conference in Sacramento.
Angeles has run Direct Relief's “Healthy Smiles” Dental Program since its inception in 1994. The program includes provision of tens of thousands of dental kits to children each year, extensive community outreach to young mothers and their children, and identifies children from low-income families lacking insurance and in need of dental care. The program provides free dental care from Santa Barbara County-area dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants who volunteer their time.
Through Healthy Smiles, over 60,000 children each year receive a dental kit and instruction, and approximately 120 children in Santa Barbara County each year receive a full range of dental treatment, from cleanings to tooth extractions. The children and their parents also receive instruction in English and Spanish on proper brushing and flossing technique, as well as the importance of a good diet.
"Martha is tireless, wonderfully committed, and tremendously effective in finding ways to ensure children learn how to take care of their teeth and are able to receive dental care when it is needed,” said Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief. “We are delighted that the State has recognized her amazing efforts, which has made such a positive difference in the lives of thousands of children in our community and our State.”
Children are pre-screened for the program through Santa Barbara County schools and Healthy Start programs. For many of the children receiving care at a Healthy Smiles clinic, it is their first time seeing a dentist in their lifetime. In complicated cases where the child needs more extensive care, volunteer dentists make appointments to have the child come in to their offices for additional work, also at no cost.
In addition to the clinics, Angeles is responsible for the similarly successful Dental Hygiene Kits Program that distributes kits containing toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss to those in need. Last year, a record-breaking 61,000 kits were distributed to low-income individuals throughout Santa Barbara County.
Building upon Angeles’ Health Smiles program, Direct Relief initiated an extensive program with community clinics in California and nationally. Since 2004, the organization has provided over $100 million in cash, prescription medicines, and medical and dental supplies to serve low-income, uninsured patients receiving care at over 100 clinics in the State and nearly 1000 clinics nationwide.
About Direct Relief International
Founded in 1948, Direct Relief International is a Santa Barbara, California-based nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide. In 2006, Direct Relief provided over $200 million in direct aid through medical material assistance and targeted cash grants to more than 300 healthcare facilities and organizations in 56 countries, providing 23.8 million courses of treatment. Direct Relief is one of two charities ranked by Forbes that has received a perfect fundraising efficiency score for five consecutive years.
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