Dear Texas Orthodontist,
At our recent annual general membership meeting in Santa Fe, NM, the Membership supported the use of TAO funds to help launch the Donated Orthodontic Services (DOS) program in the State of Texas. Today, I am reaching out to you for your support, because the program will not be successful without volunteer doctors. Participation in the program is an opportunity for each of us to use our talents and resources to contribute to the betterment of the children in Texas who have either fallen through the cracks, don’t have private insurance or who have family financial situations that preclude them from orthodontic treatment. The AAO has worked long and hard to get this program started nationwide. It has already been implemented in several states and seems to be working well. The organization that manages the program, Dental Lifeline Network (DLN), informs general dentists, pediatric dentists and public health care professionals about the program. If you have a patient in your practice that you feel would be eligible for the program, you can also steer them where to find an application. We will be launching a dedicated TAO website in 2017 and will have the application available for download on the site. The patient applies directly to DLN for the opportunity to participate in the Donated Orthodontic Service program. The DLN Coordinator screens the patient application in order to make certain that the patient and their family meet all the stipulated eligibility guidelines, and then refers the patient to a volunteer orthodontist in their area. Volunteer orthodontists are generally referred one DOS patient a year unless they would like to see more patients. You may also refer people to the program who are seeking services at your practice but cannot afford the fees. The DLN coordinator can then track that donation on your behalf.
At the bottom of this email is a DOS Brochure that describes the program further and a copy of the DOS Patient Application the patient has to complete. There is no appreciable paperwork for the orthodontist who participates in DOS other than a card at the end of treatment specifying the care that was provided, its value, and the orthodontist’s evaluation of the program. If you have any questions you can call:
Ms. Jen Koberstein
Vice-President of Programs at DLN
[email protected]
720-287- 6189
All we need from you as an orthodontist is to “sign up” and agree to be a volunteer for the program. It is a chance for us to really help the children in Texas that can benefit from our services the most. You can agree to participate by doing one of the following:
Go to this URL to sign up online: http://dentallifeline.org/dos-volunteer- form
Or you may contact either myself directly or our Executive Director, Cindy Metcalf at: [email protected]
Thank you for your consideration,
Matthew Ng, DMD MSD
TAO Coordinator, Donated Orthodontic Services (DOS)
[email protected]
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