Academy of General Dentistry Foundation Celebrates 45 Years Raising Awareness for Oral Health
Chicago, IL — Oct. 18, 2017 marked the 45th anniversary for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Foundation. Since its inception, the foundation has supported the efforts of general dentists toward improving the oral health of the public. The AGD Foundation is committed to focusing its community outreach on oral cancer awareness, risk factor prevention and the importance of early diagnosis and frequent screenings by trained general dentists. The foundation plans to celebrate this milestone with the launch of its 45 Days of Giving Campaign. The campaign runs through Dec. 1.
The AGD Foundation has set a fundraising goal of $45,000 to support efforts of increasing oral cancer awareness and encouraging good oral health. So far, in 2017, the foundation has provided free oral cancer screenings and education to more than 23,000 people. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that 49,750 people nationally and 640,000 people worldwide will be diagnosed with some form of oral cancer. The disease is particularly dangerous because it can go unnoticed in its preliminary stages, making treatment challenges and reducing survival rates.
Early detection is key, and in many cases, a dentist is the first health care provider to identify early signs and symptoms. A screening takes less than five minutes.
“The AGD Foundation is committed to slowing the increase in oral cancer incidences by encouraging people to think of their general dentist as their first line of defense against the disease,” said Linda J. Edgar, DDS, MEd, MAGD, AGD Foundation president. “We have adopted this cause oral cancer screenings save lives and early detection is key. Through regular dental visits, we can make sure more patients are screened for this deadly disease. The AGD Foundation’s 45 Days of Giving campaign affords us the opportunity and the resources to engage more individuals, dental practices and community organizations in our efforts.”
The AGD Foundation will use the funding raised to offer financial support to community-based and community-driven outreach programs that provide quality oral health care, oral cancer screenings and education for underserved populations. In 2017 the foundation awarded a total of $15,000 in grant funding to three non-profit community organizations with oral health programs that benefited underserved children and adults.
Individuals or organizations interested in supporting the AGD Foundation can make a donation through its online giving portal.
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About the AGD Foundation
The AGD Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity; Established in 1972, the AGD Foundation aims to improve the oral health of the public and support the efforts of the general dentist and AGD. Gifts to the AGD Foundation are fully deductible for United States federal income tax purposes, subject to the limitations placed on charitable gifts by the Internal Revenue Service. Check with your tax professional or attorney for specific, allowable deductions in your state.