Academy of General Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry Foundation Provide Free Oral Health Care to Underserved

The organization's first-ever outreach project will launch in New Orleans

CHICAGO, July 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This Thursday, July 8, 2010, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the AGD Foundation will team up with the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Dentistry to hold its first outreach project, Nation of Smiles, One Smile at a Time. This event will provide upwards of 300 patients from local shelters, clinics and charities with free dental care from volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants from around the nation. LSU dental students also will be participating.

"The AGD is in the vibrant city of New Orleans for our annual meeting and this is the first time we've developed an outreach project with the purpose of giving back to the community in which we are visiting," says AGD President David F. Halpern, DMD, FAGD. "It is an honor for our association to serve the underserved populations of New Orleans by providing the oral care that these individuals so desperately need."

The event will be held this Thursday, July 8, 2010, at the LSU School of Dentistry, located at 1100 Florida Avenue, on the second floor of the building, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This event is not open to the public because of its limited capacity; local community sources have identified patients in need of care prior to the event.

If you are a member of the media and would like to attend, please contact Stefanie Schroeder at 724.612.6612.

About the Academy of General Dentistry

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of more than 35,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up to date in the profession through continuing education to better serve the public. Founded in 1952, the AGD has grown to become the second-largest dental association in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively represents the needs and interests of general dentists. More than 772,000 persons in the United States are employed directly in the field of dentistry. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patients' oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, please visit www.agd.org.

About the AGD Foundation

The mission of the AGD Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the AGD, is to passionately support the efforts of the general dentist toward improving the oral health of the public.

SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry