Dentists provide free care for Clearbrook residents

To promote preventive oral care and improve oral health for patients in their community, a group of local dentists have partnered together to create a project called "A Reason To Smile" that puts patient care before profit.

This event, which takes place every other month, brings together dental professionals from the Chicago area as they provide free dental care to residents from Clearbrook, a nonprofit organization that serves over 6,000 children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities such as autism, down syndrome and cerebral palsy, in over 160 communities throughout Chicago and the suburbs.

This month's event took place on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Acierno Dental location, 129 S. Roselle Road, in Schaumburg. Doctors participating were Dr. Alan Acierno (Acierno Dental), Dr. Michael Acierno (Acierno Family Dentistry), Dr. Hussein Ads (OraMax), Dr. Allison Mele (Park Place Dental), and Dr. Gail Pokorny (Cary Grove Dental).

Dental caries, more commonly known as tooth decay, is one of the most prevalent chronic disease in both children and adults, second only to the common cold, even though it is largely preventable. One way to help prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease is by regular visits to the dentist, which can be a costly expense for the 108 million people in the U.S. who have no dental insurance.

By offering services such has cleanings, fillings and other preventive care at no cost to patients from Clearbrook, these participating dentists are assisting those in need and displaying an overall commitment to the community. They expect to provide these services six times a year worth an estimated value of $100,000 in free dental care.

"It's a wonderful cause and we are proud to be affiliated with Clearbrook," said Dr. Alan Acierno from Acierno Dental in Schaumburg. "We are a community dental practice and having a connection to the community means giving back. It's the right thing to do and we hope to continue our partnership and provide services like this for years to come."

"It was the best experience I have ever witnessed in a dental office," said one Clearbrook nurse. "There was a sense of calm and confidence that you could actually feel, which was very reassuring. What a great group of humanitarians."

For information on "A Reason to Smile" contact Stacy Medema at Acierno Dental or Gloria Drake at Clearbrook.

Volunteering dentists are came from the following practices: Acierno Dental, 129 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg; Acierno Family Dentistry, 6749 N. Oshkosh Ave, Chicago; Cary Grove Dental, 2615 Three Oaks Road, #2-D, Cary; OraMax, 91 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg; and Park Place Dental, 7702 W. North Ave, Elmwood Park.

• Submit 'Your News' at dailyherald.com/share.