Dr. Richard Mantoan is out to change lives on March 19 by offering free smiles to anyone who needs dental work as he hosts Dentistry From The Heart, his fifth charity event at his office, Southland Smiles, 19815 Governors Highway in Flossmoor.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and Mantoan and his volunteers will start seeing patients at 8 a.m. Care will be given on a first-come first-served basis. They expect to treat 50 patients, or as many people as they can serve by 4 p.m.
Over the past five years, Mantoan and his team of dentists, sponsors and volunteers have helped more than 325 people in need of dental work, including fillings, extractions and cleanings. Mantoan said this year’s event promises to be the largest yet.
While no proof of need is required, Mantoan hopes his offer serves the homeless, the unemployed, the working poor or those who don’t have health insurance or the means to pay for dental care.
“Now more than ever, I know there are people who need my services but have no means to afford them. This Dentistry From The Heart event is my way of giving back to the community and being there for people who are in need of dental work,” Mantoan said.
Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH), a national non-profit organization, has a simple mission – making people smile. DFTH was founded by a dentist in Florida in 2001 to aid those in need, including the growing population of under-insured Americans. Today more than 100 million Americans lack dental insurance, and findings show more than 29 percent of adults have untreated cavities. To date, DFTH has helped an estimated 45,000 patients and provided at least $8 million in dental care.
For more information, visit southlandsmiles.com or the organization’s national website at www.dentistryfromtheheart.org.