“[The Give Back a Smile] program was developed to address a need in the communities of AACD members,” states the AACDCF on its Web site, aacd.com. “Volunteer dentists and laboratory technicians agree to restore … the smile-zone of survivors of intimate partner violence. Survivors know that bruises and scars will fade but broken and missing teeth will not. Our generous dentists help erase the memories of abuse by restoring the smiles at no cost to the survivor, thereby restoring their lives.”
Through this arrangement, Heraeus becomes a proud corporate underwriter of the GBAS organization. This charitable effort follows in step with Heraeus’ role in GBAS’ “Shop to Give” campaign, through which Heraeus makes a generous donation to GBAS for each Heraeus’ Venus Diamond Basic Kit purchased from the “Shop to Give” Web site. This money will go toward GBAS’ efforts at restoring the smiles and lives of domestic violence survivors.
Mona, a 2008-2009 GBAS program recipient, survived facial gunshot wounds that damaged her palate and shattered her jaw and several teeth. Her story can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wge9bR8GdBo. She credits GBAS for helping to turn her life around after her devastating domestic violence experience.
“To be able to smile again has given me back my self-confidence and, in many ways, my life,” says Mona. “Give Back a Smile is an amazing organization.”
Heraeus is not a stranger to charitable efforts. It is a proud underwriter of the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF), a non-profit organization that provides access to care for thousands of underserved children, and also donates a portion of its sales of Venus Temp C&B to support NCOHF efforts. Additionally, Heraeus has donated its products to dental professionals who have generously given their time to help patients in need.
Brief documentaries showcasing these efforts – “America’s Toothfairy: Fighting Dental Disease in Children” demonstrates the work of NCOHF, and “Gabriela’s Story” shares a child’s journey to full smile restoration through donated dental services and Heraeus materials – can be found on Heraeus’ YouTube site.
“Heraeus is not just a successful company, but a successful company that cares,” says Christopher Holden, President of Heraeus. “We firmly believe in supporting the community and helping to meet the needs of those who cannot afford the healthy smile they deserve. We are grateful for this opportunity to give back, and look forward to a productive relationship with the AACDCF and Give Back a Smile program.”
For more information on this or other charitable efforts by Heraeus, go to www.heraeus-dental-us.com and click on “Corporate Social Responsibility” or call (877) 431-1785. For more information on Give Back a Smile, visit www.aacd.com/index.php?module=cms&page=31. To view the above-referenced YouTube videos and see other posted Heraeus instructional and educational offerings, visit Heraeus’ YouTube site at http://www.youtube.com/user/HeraeusKulzerLLC#p/u.
About Heraeus
Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with over 155 years of tradition. Our businesses include dental products and biomaterials, precious metals, sensors, quartz glass, and specialty lighting sources. With product revenues approaching € 2.6 billion and precious metal trading revenues of € 13.6 billion, as well as more than 12,300 employees in more than 110 companies worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.
About Heraeus Kulzer Dental: Transforming Lives
The Heraeus Kulzer Dental Division mission is to advance the oral health of patients around the globe. To that end, we continually apply our research, science and global resources to deliver unparalleled innovation and exceptional products to both dental practitioners and laboratories. While product safety and efficacy are always our main goals, we also aim to create value-based products that unlock new levels of productivity in dental practices and dental laboratories. Interrelated products including the Venus® brand of low stress composites, Venus White® Whitening Systems, Flexitime® Impressions Systems, Gluma® Desensitizers, iBond® Bonding Solutions, PALA® Mondial® Teeth, and Modern Materials® Gypsum Products offer exceptional diagnosis, treatment, and restorative care.
Heraeus also collaborates with health care providers, researchers and academic institutions to support community wellbeing and overall oral health. To that end, Heraeus is a corporate supporter of the National Children's Oral Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides access to care for thousands of underserved children, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
