Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and sugar free gum were collected for Fort Bragg soldiers to help troops maintain their dental health during training and deployment.
In celebration of Veteran’s Day, the
North Carolina Dental Society is honoring troops by donating more than 1,250 lbs. of care packages containing oral health essentials to the USO of North Carolina. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and sugar free gum were collected for Fort Bragg soldiers to help troops maintain their dental health during training and deployment.
The NC Dental Society kicked off its third annual Dental Supply Drive in collaboration with USO of North Carolina this fall. Across the state, NC Dental Society members, dental students and community partners made financial contributions and collected dental supplies over a two-month period leading up to Veteran’s Day. Nearly 100 participating practices and organizations donated a record number of supplies to be used in rack-packs for the troops.
North Carolina is home to the third largest military population in the United States, and dentists and community members alike were eager to participate and give back to our armed forces. One determined high school student in Cary, Nihar Thakkar, who dreams of becoming a dentist, spent his summer canvassing dental offices in the Triangle, asking for donations to support the cause. His commitment to the program resulted in more than 35 lbs. of dental supplies from 15 dental offices.
“By raising community awareness of oral health care needs across the state, we are better able to serve the fearless men and women who protect us,” said Dr. Heidi Tzioros of Charlotte. “What may seem like a small donation from each dentist or community member comes together to make a huge impact for our troops. Through partnership with the USO of NC, we’ll continue to arm our servicemen and women with oral care essentials that they may not have at their disposal.”
Pre-dental students, as well as dental students from East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine and University of North Carolina School of Dentistry also joined the cause, donating double the amount of dental supplies from previous years’ involvement. Meanwhile, lead industry supplier Colgate Palmolive continued to support the effort, donating 1,440 toothbrushes.
For more information about the North Carolina Society and its annual Dental Supply Drive, please visit our
Foundation page.
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About the North Carolina Dental Society
The North Carolina Dental Society was founded in 1856 and is one of the oldest dental societies in the country. The NCDS represents 3,900 member dentists in North Carolina. Headquartered in Cary, our mission is to help all members succeed. For more information about the NCDS, visit ncdental.org. The North Carolina Dental Society is a part of the American Dental Association, the nation's largest dental association, representing 161,000 dentist members.