Lake Oconee Dentistry (LOD) hosted its 8th annual Stars, Stripes & Smiles event on June 23, providing a free day of dental care to 56 area veterans and active military, as well as law enforcement, firefighters, DNR and EMS personnel.
Drs. David and Patti Bradley, Dr. Shelly Pound, and Dr. Andrea Feldman, along with Lake Oconee Dentistry hygienists, dental assistants, and team members, provided event attendees with the choice of receiving a free cleaning, filling or tooth extraction.
To help as many people as possible, Oral surgeon Dr. David Miller, owner of Lake Oconee Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center, also donated his and his support team’s time. The one-day event provided more than $13,000 in free dental care. “Our team always looks forward to this event. There’s such a large need,” Dr. David Bradley said. “The military personnel and hometown heroes that we see often have a hard time fitting regular dental care into their schedules or (they) have to drive all the way to the VA. So, we are happy to be able to provide another care option.”
The K9 Angels, a local group of trained, registered, and insured therapy dogs also were on hand to spread cheer and help set patients at ease.
This year, celebrity dog Oliver, a 180-pound Newfoundland (and his human Sabrina Sweeney) joined the K9 Angels at the LOD event. Oliver stars in Jeep’s popular “Going on a Bear Hunt” commercial. He also has been featured on ABC’s Nightline and is in two movies currently awaiting release.
“It’s important to us to serve and support those who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms we all enjoy. These men and women are truly some of our country’s bravest heroes,” Dr. Bradley added.
The Bradleys opened Lake Oconee Dentistry (1011 Parkside Main, Greensboro) in 1998. In addition to providing standard preventive maintenance exams and professional cleanings, LOD offers short-term orthodontics, cosmetic enhancements, dental implant placement and restoration, teeth whitening, and oral appliances for treating snoring and sleep apnea.