Dentist with a Heart program provides free services for needy
By Judy Buchenot For The Beacon-News January 23, 2012 12:44PM
St. Charles dentist, Dr. Tricia Crosby and her assistant, Patty Rios, provided free dental care to a patient during last year’s Dentist With a Heart program.
Free dental care
Area dentists will offer free dental care on specific days during the Dentist With a Heart program throughout February. All services are for patients age 3 and older. Adults must accompany children younger than 16.
Services offered vary with each practice and include cleaning, X-rays, diagnostic, fillings and extractions. Unless noted, services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no eligibility requirements for services.
The following schedule is for Aurora and Tri-City areas. Schedules for other areas can be found at www.dentistwithaheartonline.org.
Feb. 1
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dr. Robert Davidson, 708 N. Main St., Elburn. (no extractions)
Feb. 3
7:30 a.m. to noon. Dr. Andrea Adam, 40W320 LaFox Road, Suite D, St. Charles. Appointment required at 630-762-0000 (no extractions)
Feb. 7
8 a.m. to noon, Dr. Brian Penniall, 40W330 LaFox Road. Suite C1, St. Charles (no extractions)
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dr. Tricia Crosby, Dr. Martin Kolinski, 525 Tyler Road, Suite E, St. Charles
Feb. 8
8 a.m. to noon, Dr. Mark Weinhold, 1 E County Line Road. Suite A, Sandwich
8 a.m. to noon, Boulder Hill Dental, 20 Boulder Hill Pass, Montgomery
8 a.m. to noon, Dr. Elizabeth Sacrey, Dr. Scott Capper, 328 N. Anderson Blvd., Geneva
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dr. Timothy Skidmore, 39W250 Herrington Blvd., Suite F1, Geneva (no extractions)
Feb. 9
1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dr. John Koechley, 420 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia (no extractions)
Feb. 10
8 a.m. to noon, Waters Dental Group, 420 E. Church St., Sandwich
8 a.m. to noon, Dr. Kamy Nourzi, 2075 Blackberry Drive., Geneva, appointment only at 630-232-7400
9 a.m. to noon, Dr. Kevin Arnold, 2020 Dean St. Suite C, St. Charles (no extractions
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. North Aurora Smiles, 1133 Oak St., North Aurora (no extractions)
Feb. 13
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dr. Melissa Jentz-Cote, Dr. Adam Winckler, 2631 Williamsburg Ave, suite 201, Geneva (no extractions)
Feb. 14
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pauly Family Dental Group, 1940 W. Galena Blvd. Suite 10, Aurora
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kendall Pointe Dental, 1991 Weisbrook Road. Oswego
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 1st Family Dental, 55 S. Commons Drive, Aurora
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bancroft Family Dental, 1940 W. Galena Blvd., Suite 7, Aurora
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dr. Narda Coronado, 454 N. Lake St., Aurora
Feb. 15
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Young Dental Care, 1132 Prairie St. Aurora
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dr. Richard Bertoglio, Dr. Jessica Bertoglio, Dr. Julie Lies-Keilty, 1940 W. Galena Blvd., Suite 11, Aurora
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dr. Richard Chroust, 1217 Oak St., North Aurora (no cleanings)
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dr. Michael Montminy, 201 N. Constitution Drive, Aurora
8 a.m. to noon, 2-5 p.m. Dr. Gregory Fauth, 1940 W. Galena Blvd., Aurora
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dr. Joseph Sullivan, 645 Plaza Drive, Sycamore
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dr. Anthony Chulick, Dr. Kay Currey, 2600 DeKalb Ave. Sycamore
Feb. 16
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fairview Dental, 541 Sullivan Road, Aurora
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dr. Aaron Eissens, 925 Oak St., North Aurora
Feb. 17
9 a.m. to noon, Dr. Khaja Mohsinuddin, 2460 S. Eola Road, Aurora
7 a.m. to noon, Prairie Dental Care, 2424 W. Indian Trail, Aurora
8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dr. Linda Weglarz, 2424 W. Indian Trail, Aurora
Feb. 21
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dr. Laurie Slavik, 22 James St., Geneva (no extractions)
Updated: February 26, 2012 8:01AM
In 2001, Dr. Brian Tonner and Dr. Gary Ahasic of Fairview Dental in Aurora heard about a program to offer free dental care to those can’t afford to pay. They enlisted 10 dentists and held the first Dentist With a Heart Program.
Eleven years later, that good idea has grown so large that there are now four divisions of the program offering free dental care in the Aurora area, the Tri-Cities, Elgin and Sycamore. During the past 10 years, more than 3,500 patients have received more than $1 million in free services.
This year’s Dentist With a Heart program has more than 50 dentists participating throughout February. There are no eligibility requirements for the patients who come for treatment, and most offices provide services on a first-come, first-served basis for patients age 3 and older.
“I look forward to this day,” Ahasic said. “We have four dentists and about a dozen hygienists who help. Some of them volunteer their time off the clock.”
Ahasic said his staff arrives at 6 a.m. to get ready “and people are already in line.”
He said they serve almost 130 people each year.
“Things that go untreated in dentistry can become very complicated, so this is a way to help those people who can’t afford to pay for care,” he said.
Dr. Elizabeth Sacrey of Sacrey and Sacrey Dentistry in Geneva, said she was amazed at how thankful people are for the service.
“There were many people in their 20s who were off their parents’ insurance and knew they should have a cleaning but couldn’t afford it,” Sacrey said.
“People delay dentistry when times are tough.”
For parents without jobs, the service makes all the difference.
“There was a family who came in with four kids last year,” she said. “The parents had lost their jobs but they still wanted to care of their kids. To be able to help those kids feels good for the parents, for the kids and for me.
“We have some families who come back every year. They know the services we offer are limited, but they are very appreciative for the help they can receive.”
Ahasic said they provide more than $100,000 in services each year.
“We get really nice thank you cards from people each year,” Ahasic said. “It is a very rewarding day for the dentists and staff because we are able to take care of the public who needs our help.”
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