The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation's (AACDCF) Give Back A Smile (GBAS) program has been awarded a Power of A Gold Award by the American Society of Association Executives.
The GBAS program assists adults who have suffered dental injuries from domestic and sexual violence in rebuilding their smiles. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence, and 75% of battering is to the face. This results in a number of dental injuries, according to the AACD. Through compassionate cosmetic dental services and support programs, the GBAS program works to heal these injuries.
Since the program's 1999 inception, AACD members have volunteered their time and expertise to restore the damaged smiles of more than 1,400 survivors of domestic violence. Last year, 68 member dentists in 20 different states completed smile restorations worth more than $800,000, at no cost to applicants. The AACDCF also provides educational scholarships for GBAS program recipients enrolled in college, totaling $20,000 this year.
