Carestream Dental Volunteers Make a Difference at CDA Cares

“We just finished three long, but rewarding, days of volunteering and serving people in need of dentistry,” Ernie Printzen, senior account manager, Carestream Dental, said.

Printzen is referring to CDA Cares, a biannual event that serves thousands of Californians who don’t have regular access to oral health care. This spring, the CDA Foundation visited Ventura, Calif., April 16-17, to provide 11,583 procedures at no cost to 1,884 people.

Such a large event would not be possible without dedicated volunteers—1,394 at the Ventura event alone—and generous donations of equipment. As it has done in the past, Carestream Dental donated three CS 8100 panoramic systems and 14 RVG intraoral sensors that captured 2,587 X-rays over the course of the two day event.

The digital technology made treating the high volume of people seeking care easier for doctors and volunteers. Clear, high-resolution images were available in seconds, so diagnoses could be made quickly and accurately.

Just as valuable as the technology, though, was the time that volunteers donated to the event. Four Carestream Dental employees, along with the help of 30 volunteers provided by the CDA Foundation, ran the radiography station and the endodontic X-ray department. Over the course of two 12-hour-long days, the volunteers captured thousands of X-rays including bitewings, periapical and panoramic images. The services provided are valued at well over $170,000.

“We were very hands on,” Printzen said “We took X-rays, processed computer input into our imaging software and trained other volunteers. If you have not done this, I strongly recommend you sign up for the next one in your area.”

The CDA Foundation’s mission is to improve the oral health of all Californians by supporting the dental profession in its efforts to meet community needs. The Foundation hosts two CDA Cares events a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. To learn more about how you can volunteer, click here