What a week last week was for all of us in Chicago! From everyone at Oral Health America, we’d like to send a big THANK YOU to the over 800 of you who were part of our 22nd Annual Gala and Benefit on Wednesday evening at Chicago’s Navy Pier. This year’s theme was “Impacting America’s Smiles,” and it’s safe to say we’re all striving to do that every day!
Thanks to the generous companies, organizations and individuals who gave of their time or money to make the event a success. Together, we raised over $500,000 in one night to support Oral Health America’s programs that impact the oral and overall health of millions of Americans throughout the journey of life.
In 2012, we’ll be able to do even more for the health of the public because of what you’ve done for us. Our Smiles Across America® program will reach out to over 400,000 children to provide preventive care and education in school-based and school-linked settings; our Wisdom Tooth Project® for older adults will connect national and local communities and spark the change we need to care for the mouths of our nation’s fastest growing age group. And your commitment to our mission will help us launch communications campaigns that reach hundreds of millions of Americans this year.
A special Gala shout-out goes to Patterson Dental and Kim McQueen. Year after year, Patterson provides pro bono design and printing services for our Gala materials in addition to cash donations and auction items (like this year’s “Dinner with Paul Guggenheim”), and for that we are truly grateful.
Another successful OHA Gala has come and gone – but don’t be a stranger to OHA the rest of the year! Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
It's that time of year again--OHA Gala time! We're highlighting some of our best auction items in the days leading up to the big event.
Check out today's Gala Auction Spotlight, including packages from the New York Yankees and the NDA/HDA/SAID joint conference in Boca Raton, FL!
Click on the image below to see the full spotlight.
OHA's Wisdom Tooth Project is gaining ground as a leading program for connecting communities with resources for the oral health of older adults.
We’re happy to announce that in 2012, Special Care Dentistry Association members will contribute knowledge and written content to educate older adults and their care advisors on oral health topics through the Wisdom Tooth Project web portal.
Read the entire press release below. Just click to go full screen:
This week we're in New York City....TWICE.
Today our very own Melissa Hoebbel, Communications and Events Manager, is in NYC to meet with folks at the Dental Trade Alliance and other organizations that are part of the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives coalition. OHA serves on the Executive Committee of the coalition and will be working closely with other partners in the coming years to produce an Ad Council advertising campaign to raise awareness of the importance of oral health for all Americans.
"Hmm...the Ad Council--I've heard of that before." Yes you have! Probably because you've been exposed to some of the Ad Council's most successful public initiatives, including Smoky the Bear and sayings like "Take a Bite out of Crime" and "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk."
We're happy to be involved in an effort that will bring to light the importance of oral health for all of us!
Our next staff trip to NYC will be later this week, when Director of Development Brad McLaughlin will join Melissa at a Give Kids A Smile event to kick off Children's Dental Health Month. More to come!
We're kicking off the new year with tons of fresh stories focusing on the ways we're bringing healthy mouths to life.
In our January 2012 eNews, you'll discover how OHA's Wisdom Tooth Project is helping provide vulnerable adults and older adults in Buffalo, NY with oral health care; you'll read about a personal contribution from one of our Smiles Across America partners; and you will hear the heartwarming story of an OHA friend who is helping a teen in need of a new smile in West Virginia.
CLICK HERE to read the rest!
With less than a month to go until "show time" at Chicago's Navy Pier, our office is a hubbub of activity as we plan for OHA's 2012 Gala and Benefit on February 22.
Our Gala pros, Melissa and Emma, recently posted a very helpful list of FAQs on the Gala web site.
If you still have questions like...
- Where do I park at Navy Pier?
- How will my guests get from their hotels to Navy Pier?
- Do I need hard copy tickets to attend the gala?
- How do I let OHA know who my table guests are?
- Can I buy a raffle ticket before the Gala starts?
...you'll find what you need by clicking the button below:
