Healthy Smile, Healthy City

            I have recently applied for an internship to work at the nonprofit organization CADF, or Capital Area Dental Foundation. Based out of downtown Austin, Texas, the foundation provides discounted, sometimes free, dental procedures for struggling Austinites that are in need of care. With the help of over 90 dentists in the area, CADF is able to serve more than 800 patients a year. I have always hoped to find a career in dentistry, and I am hoping to learn the many avenues that are available to me to not only help me achieve my goals, but also to give back to my community at the same time.

The foundation is comprised of five different programs that assist patients in finding the care they need. It acts as “the middle man,” so to speak. People in need contact local health alliances to confirm eligibility for the programs that CADF has to offer; then the CADF representatives refer the patients to dental professionals that are willing to donate their time and resources for little to no cost. 

The internship is a volunteer position that involves tasks such as maintaining waitlists for certain programs, tracking patient cases, as well as researching potential partnerships that would benefit the foundation. I am excited to be able to donate my time to such an important cause that lacks awareness, and gain experience working within the dental community.

One of the programs that I am looking forward to learning about and assisting with is the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, or HAAM. This organization provides care specifically to Austin area musicians that otherwise are unable to receive basic healthcare needs. As the live music capital of the world, Austin is flooded with hardworking musicians wanting to make it big. Music is such a crucial part of what makes my city so special, and supporting local musicians by keeping them healthy is certainly something I want to be a part of.

The foundation is also giving me the opportunity to find out ways to further expand CADF by recruiting additional dental specialists, participating in fundraising projects, and possibly starting new programs that can benefit a greater chunk of the Austin population by promoting wellness and providing care. For example, because the foundation is relatively new, the programs are geared towards certain demographics of people including seniors and disabled individuals, but do not benefit kids at all. I am interested in finding out ways to engage children in achieving dental health.

Despite its current limited exposure to Ausitnites thus far, Greenlights recognized CADF with the Nonprofit of the Year Award for Nonprofit Excellence. The growing awareness of the importance of dental health can make a big impact on the quality of life and comfort of people everywhere. Although general medical clinics can be found fairly easily throughout the city, affordable dental care is spread very thin. My potential position in this organization will give me the chance to learn the needs of patients around Austin, and the ways that local dentists can help out; something that I will take part in when I enter the field.