Michael Spradlin, DDs, was honored in December as the first recipient of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Oral Health Foundations's Oral Health Hero Award, which recognizes the contributions of volunteer dentists who go above and beyond in donating their time and skills to help Oklahomans in need achieve greater oral health.
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After retiring from private practice, Dr. Spradlin began serving as a volunteer dentist and clinic administrator for Mother Teresa Dental Care Center of Catholic Charities of Tulsa. Since leading the effort to set up the clinic in 2009, he has served nearly full-time administering the program, recruiting and scheduling other volunteer dentists and hygienists, and treating patients. In 2011, he contributed more than 1,400 volunteer hours. As a resulat of his effort, more than 1,800 patients were helped in the clinic's second year of operation.
For nearly 15 years, Delta Dental of Oklahoma's Oral Health Foundation has provided financial support to free dental clinics and programs throughout the state that provide services to those in need of care they cannot afford.
Catholic Charities' Mother Teresa Dental Care Center was one of 23 free dental clinics and programs that received a grant from the foundation in 2012. For more information about the Oral Health Foundation, visit www.ddokfoundation.org. For information about the Mother Teresa Dental Care Center, visit www.catholiccharitiestulsa.org.
This article first appeared in the February issue of the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine.
