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The Ben Massell Dental Clinic Announces Grand Opening of $5.5 Million Facility

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Dental Clinic to Serve Atlanta’s Financially Disadvantaged
Posted: August 28, 2008
The Ben Massell Dental Clinic Announces Grand Opening of $5.5 Million Facility
Dental Clinic to Serve Atlanta’s Financially Disadvantaged
 
ATLANTA, Ga., August 27, 2008 – The Ben Massell Dental Clinic opened the doors yesterday to its 7,900 square foot state-of-the-art facility at 700 14th Street in Midtown. Easily accessible by MARTA, the new clinic features 16 patient stations, outfitted with advanced medical equipment, as well as two hygiene rooms, a large laboratory, x-ray room and sterilization area.

Until today, the Clinic operated out of a tiny space in Midtown with no handicap accessibility. The new facility greatly expands the clinic’s service to Atlanta. The Ben Massell Dental Clinic expects to double its patient capacity over the next three years to serve more than 9,000 patients annually.
 
A Grand Opening celebration for the new Clinic will be held from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon at 700 14th Street featuring a keynote address by Milton Little, President of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.  Tours of the new Clinic will follow. (Details at http://www.benmasselldentalclinic.com/grandopening.html)
 
“Dental care, which is so important to overall health, should not be a luxury reserved for the privileged. With the opening of our new facility, The Ben Massell Dental Clinic now provides Atlanta’s indigent and working poor a dental office that exceeds the capabilities of most high-end dental offices around the country,” said Gary Miller, CEO of Jewish Family and Career Services, the parent organization of The Ben Massell Dental Clinic. “Our patients come from all walks of life, and they deserve exceptional medical care whether or not they can afford it.”
 
In 2006, the Clinic launched a capital campaign to raise $3.85 million. By 2007 more than $5.5 million was raised to fund the new facility and equipment, exceeding all expectations.
 
Today, more than 100 dental professionals volunteer their time and the Clinic.  Ben Massell is aggressively recruiting more dentists to meet the anticipated demand for services.  For these volunteer dentists, it’s a wonderful opportunity to “give back” to dentistry while working on equipment that’s 5 years ahead of their own practice.

“Our volunteer dentists are literally saving lives with the work they do at the Clinic.  In this new facility, we give them the opportunity to work with the newest technology and collaborate with other top professionals in their field.  But, they give us so much more in return.  These inspiring dentists help our patients stay in school, get jobs, and fight previously undetected health problems,” said David Zelby D.M.D., chief of staff at the Clinic.
 
Founded in 1911, The Ben Massell Dental Clinic is the first dental clinic in the U.S. and the only clinic in Georgia that is fully staffed by volunteer dentists and offers comprehensive care, including fillings, extractions, endodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, orthodontics and prosthetics.  Serving patients who fall at least 125 percent below the poverty line, the clinic offers hygiene training and prevention education as well as social worker services.
 
More than 200,000 people in the 12-county Atlanta area need and qualify for the Clinic’s services.  In 2007 more than 14,500 procedures were performed at the Clinic on over 6,000 patients.  The Ben Massell Dental Clinic is the only charity dental provider in Atlanta to provide comprehensive dental services to HIV-positive individuals who are financially disadvantaged.
 
The Clinic was designed by architect Ted Taylor and expects to earn LEED certification soon after opening.  LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation establishes Ben Massell as a leader in public health and environmental sustainability. Among the green features of the Clinic are: energy efficient windows, lighting, and HVAC mechanical systems.  All wall and floor coverings are made of recyclable materials, mostly sourced from within 50 miles of the Clinic to reduce transportation costs. Landscaping makes use of drought tolerant plants and there’s even special parking for hybrid cars and bicycles.

The Ben Massell Dental Clinic
The Ben Massell Dental Clinic is the only resource for comprehensive, quality dental care available to indigent individuals in metro Atlanta. In addition to the medical issues associated with lack of proper dental care, oral disease can take an incalculable emotional toll. By restoring dental health, The Clinic has a life-changing impact on more than 6,000 patients each year.
 
Jewish Family and Career Services
Jewish Family & Career Services is the parent organization and operator of The Ben Massell Dental Clinic.  A nonprofit, nonsectarian human service agency founded in 1890, JF&CS boasts a rich tradition of fostering volunteerism and community service.
 
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