Centrix Dental Toothfairy Grant awarded by the National Children's Oral Health Foundation

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina--The National Children's Oral Health Foundation has awarded a $12,000 Centrix Dental Toothfairy Grant to Sonrisas Community Dental Center in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

The award will help expand and enhance oral health programs to underserved families whose children require extensive dental care.

Centrix president Bill Dragan said, "Our continued focus is to improve the art and science of dentistry, making dentistry easier for the practitioner and improving care for the patient. We are excited to work with the NCOHF, to support an issue of great importance to the health of our nation--preventing all children from suffering with unnecessary dental disease."

Fern Ingber, NCOHF's president and CEO, praised the company's generosity.

"Centrix shares our passion to eliminate painful debilitating pediatric oral disease," she said. "One-third of children suffer from serious oral health problems that negatively impact their ability to eat, sleep, and learn. Generous corporate donors like Centrix are helping prevent needless pain for thousands of vulnerable children."

Sonrisas Community Dental Center is a member of NCOHF's national affiliate network, dedicated to delivering comprehensive oral health treatment and preventive educational services to millions of economically disadvantaged children and their families.

Julia McKeon, executive director of the rural center, noted, "Many low-income and uninsured families are balanced precariously on the financial edge during these difficult economic times, so taking time off work to take their child to the dentist can pose problems.

The oral health of these children has been in jeopardy with hygiene not maintained and treatment plans not completed. Expanded Saturday appointments at the clinic and health fairs in their neighborhoods will offer us a great opportunity to reconnect with families and encourage then to restart their children's dental care."

For more information about NCOHF, visit National Children's Oral Health Foundation.

To read more about the National Children's Oral Health Foundation, go to National Children's Oral Health Foundation.

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