Local dental team volunteers services at Clearbrook
Dr. A.J. Acierno stood near the bench at Saturday's game between the Chicago Wolves and the Charlotte Checkers, just as he does for most home games, ready to treat any emergency.
The Schaumburg-based dentist is one of three official dentists with the Wolves, including his brother, Michael Acierno of Chicago, but that's not the only organization he supports outside his practice.
On Nov. 6, Acierno and a team of assistants, hygienists and dentists will set aside the entire afternoon for another valued set of players: adults with developmental disabilities from Clearbrook.
"We get so much enjoyment out of it," Acierno says. "They're such loving people."
Nearly every month, Acierno sends out a memo to the 14 locations of his large dental group, Decision 1 Dental, soliciting volunteers for their Clearbrook date.
"It's first come, first served and I have no trouble filling up the spots," Acierno says. "We're able to see a lot of patients at one time, but more than that, everybody just loves doing this."
His relationship with Arlington Heights-based Clearbrook came about nearly two years ago when one of his patients, Linda Riley of South Barrington, - whose brother is a Clearbrook client - suggested Acierno to Carl La Mell, president of Clearbrook.
Over lunch, Acierno and La Mell talked about funding cuts the agency had endured, including preventive dental care.
"Dentistry is one of the hardest services for us because of cutbacks," La Mell says. "After talking to him, we just clicked. He is a really high energy guy, but with our clients he's calm and caring."
Acierno's team provides cleanings, screenings and basic dental care to Clearbrook's functional patients.
"We treat them how they want to be treated and try to give them a good experience," Acierno adds. "In nearly two years, I've only had one patient who refused to open his mouth."
This volunteer dentistry is a stark contrast to the emergency care he sometimes needs to provide to Wolves players. Just last month, a player took a stick to the face and nearly lost an eye as well as many of his teeth.
"His jaw is still swollen," says Acierno, who treated him in the office afterward. "He was just two inches away from much more serious injuries."
Acierno began his dental practice in Peoria, where he was the team dentist for the Peoria Rivermen. When one of its coaches moved to the Wolves, he suggested Acierno be considered for the role.
"Dr. Acierno plays a critical role for our organization," says Mike Gordon, president of the Wolves. "For hockey players, teeth are a prized commodity. In addition to being able to treat any issue immediately, Dr. Acierno's presence at the games reassures our players that if something should happen, he is right there for them.
Acierno rotates home games with the other dentists, but, in his case, his wife, Christine, understands his outside commitments. After all, she grew up in a sports family herself as the granddaughter of DePaul University's Hall of Fame coach Ray Meyer.