HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 10,000 children and adults with minimal or no insurance received more than $2 million in free dental care in 2011, thanks to United Concordia Dental, one of the nation's largest dental insurers.
"Many of these individuals live in urban, underserved areas and lack the resources necessary to receive routine dental care," said James Bramson, D.D.S., chief dental officer. "One of our goals is to provide preventive dental care and education on the importance of good oral hygiene, including proper brushing and flossing."
Since 2002, United Concordia Dental has worked with a variety of community partners each year — dentists, dental clinics, community organizations and dental hygiene schools — to bring free dental services to people in need. The services range from cleanings and fillings to X-rays and sealants.
"The cornerstone to our success is an ability to build partnerships," said Dr. Bramson. "We work with our partners to help provide much needed dental care, raise awareness of proper oral health and help create stronger, healthier communities."
In 2011, the national dental insurer held 132 free days of care by partnering with a number of organizations, including parent company, Highmark Inc.; sister subsidiary, Davis Vision; Hamilton Health Center, Pa.; city of Houston, Texas; Dentistry from the Heart, Fla., and the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania (SOPA).
"SOPA's partnership with United Concordia is a natural fit as the company supports our efforts to bring free dental screenings to Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes through the Healthy Athletes Special Smiles initiative," said Eric Cushing, vice president of development for SOPA.
During the 2011 Summer Games at Penn State University the free screening was offered to 2,000 competing athletes by health care professionals who volunteer their time. Our organization would be unable to successfully make this happen without United Concordia's support and philanthropy."
For more information about United Concordia products, visit www.UnitedConcordia.com.
SOURCE United Concordia Dental