Augusta Regional Dental Clinic to participate in Giving Tuesday

FISHERSVILLE, Va. (WHSV) - The Augusta Regional Dental Clinic (ARDC) will participate in Giving Tuesday November 30, with the goal of raising $6,500 to provide free dental visits to 650 school-aged children in the Staunton-Augusta Co.- Waynesboro area by June 2022.

Every year since 2012, people around the world have celebrated the Tuesday after Thanksgiving by giving to their favorite nonprofits.

The ARDC is asking the community for support this Giving Tuesday to fund its school program called ORCAS.

Through this program, the clinic’s team provides dental visits to hundreds of medically underserved children in the SAW area.

Enrolled families will not have to pay out of pocket for visits, which will take place directly at the children’s school to reportedly help lower dentist anxiety.

“We have had to discontinue our program in 2020 due to the pandemic and are now facing a higher than usual demand from partnering schools and school nurses. Many families have had to delay dental care in 2020 and we are now catching up to make sure every child in our community has access to the care they need,” said Sophie Parson, ARDC Executive Director.

11 schools have enrolled in the program for the current school year, representing about 650 children. The ARDC says it is expecting more in the coming weeks.

The clinic hopes to gather enough support on Giving Tuesday to be able to meet the increased demand from local elementary schools.

Blue Ridge Oral Surgery and the Rotary Club of Waynesboro have pledged to match every dollar given on Giving Tuesday up to $3,600 to help the ARDC reach its goal.

Anyone interested in helping the ARDC can donate here, or mail a check by midnight November 30 with the memo line “Giving Tuesday 2021″.