The American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF), charitable arm of the American Dental Association (ADA), has announced the raising of nearly $300,000 from the dental community, completing the first phase of its Tsunami Assistance Campaign.
The American Red Cross International Relief Fund will receive the proceeds from the campaign.
In the relief effort, spearheaded by the ADAF, the ADAF and the ADA each donated $50,000 for use as a challenge match fund, giving ADA member dentists and others the opportunity to increase the impact of their individual donations. The ADA also donated $10,000 in matching support on behalf of its staff to the fund.
ADA President Richard Haught, DDS, said, "It is gratifying to see the response from our members and others in the dental community as they stepped forward in answering our call for assistance. This is a demonstration of the compassion and humanitarianism of the profession."
"We are extremely pleased with the dental community's generosity in our call for support to help assist the victims of this catastrophe. We now look forward to devoting our efforts on the campaign's second phase focused on reconstruction," said ADA Foundation President Arthur A. Dugoni, DDS, MSD. Dr. Dugoni is dean of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, San Francisco.
The campaign's second phase will provide financial assistance and other resources to help cities and villages damaged by the tsunami to rebuild dental clinics.
