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Making a Difference: Freedom Friday
With the 4th of July on the horizon, it’s important to think of our fighting men and women who help keep our country free. Unfortunately, when veterans of our armed forces return from overseas, they often have trouble finding ways to support themselves and their families. Local dentist Todd Newton has sought to give these struggling soldiers a hand up by putting together Freedom Friday, which provides comprehensive dental care to unemployed veterans thanks to an initiative enacted by Newton’s equal partners Warm Springs Dental and Anthem Village Dental.
Since its inception a year ago, Freedom Friday has treated and/or completely restored the neglected mouths of sixteen returned Clark County veterans, an emotional experience for both the veterans and the dental team at Freedom Friday. The program seeks to provide extraordinary care that these recipients would not normally receive from the VA system, free from the endless red tape that can put a frustrating hold on important services. Veterans have received everything from root canals to dentures to extractions, all of it pro bono thanks to the generous efforts of Todd Newton and his colleagues. In today’s economic times, the complimentary care has been a godsend and improved lives through bright and shining smiles.
To help achieve his goal, Newton reached out and got full commitments from twelve specialists and/or suppliers to help provide resources for his efforts, including Anthem Periodontics, Nevada Oral Facial Surgeons, Invisalign and more. He was also fortunate enough to make connections with local organizations America Helping Heroes and the Urban League of Las Vegas who helped Newton and his team connect with the veterans who so desperately needed their care.
Ever the optimist, Newton hopes to see the program catch on and grow into something larger so that unemployed veterans across the country can experience the same kind of care. Newton’s generous spirit and sense of compassion are certainly large enough to make a strong impression on people in every walk of life. With that kind of inspiration on display, it would not be surprising to see other generous souls stepping up to the plate and helping some of our more downtrodden veterans find the smiles they need to gain the confidence that leads to success.
If you know an unemployed Clark County veteran who is in need of dental care, please contact either Angela Alegna at America Helping Heroes (www.americahelpingheroes.org) or Karen Lewis at the Las Vegas Urban League (www.lasvegasurbanleague.org). Veterans must qualify through one of these organizations to participate in the program.
For more information on Freedom Friday, visit www.freedomfriday.org.
