Riverwalk Dental, Merrimack Valley District Dental Society, and Giving Back to the Community
Dr. Beninato and Dr. Patsi are pleased to be part of one the most generous charitable dental organizations in the Bay State, the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation. Riverwalk Dental’s local chapter is the Merrimack Valley District Dental Society which serves those in need throughout Andover, Billerica, Bradford, Byfield, Chelmsford, Dracut, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Merrimac, Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Wamesit, and Westford.
“We are so grateful to be able to serve patients throughout Lawrence, Andover, North Andover, and so many folks in the Merrimack Valley area, Dr. Patsi and I feel strongly it is important to give back,” stated Dr. Beninato when speaking to us, the staff of Riverwalk Dental. “Being part of an organization such as the Merrimack Valley District Dental Society and the great work the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation does is truly rewarding because of the hope the offer to so many in need.”
Recently, the Lynn Journal, a Massachusetts publication, cited the awarding of $15,000 for the “Expanding Access to Dental Care” grant to provide oral health care to middle school students in the city of Lynn on behalf of the ForsythKids Program. The Lynn Journal article quotes ForsythKids Public Health Dentist Helen Nguyen, MPH, DDS as stating:
This grant allows our team the wonderful opportunity to support high-risk children and their oral health during a critical time in their lives. Bringing care to middle school children is essential because children transition completely to adult teeth at this age.
This program is only a fraction of the efforts put forth by the Merrimack Valley District Dental Society and the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation. The Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) also received $12,500 in grant money to continue funding the Massachusetts Donated Dental Services program (DDS). This effort includes care for 40 individuals with disabilities, fragile medical conditions, and/or those unable to afford care. Not only will monetary contributions be made, but patients will also receive $90,000 in pro bono dental care for their oral health challenges.
Other efforts our Foundation contributes include a $6,700 grant for Franciscan Children’s to purchase a hand-held x-ray machine for the Pediatric Dentistry Program, a $15,000 grant to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene for the Neighborhood SMILES and Worcester EYES Program, and $15,000 Access to Care Grant for Tufts University School of Dental Medicine for dental services for our military veterans in the Greater Boston area.
Riverwalk Dental is proud of the service and philanthropic efforts of the Merrimack Valley District Dental Society and the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation. Our chapter already contributed $20,000 to these efforts and we are aiming to increase this throughout the year.