Heraeus Helps to Transform Lives Through Global Social Initiatives
Heraeus Helps to Transform Lives Through Global Social Initiatives Commits resources to help victims of domestic violence through corporate support of AACDCF’s Give Back a Smile ProgramSOUTH BEND, INDIANA, July 26, 2011 — Heraeus has long been the global leader
Heraeus Helps to Transform Lives Through Global Social Initiatives
Commits resources to help victims of domestic violence through corporate support of AACDCF’s Give Back a Smile Program
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, July 26, 2011 — Heraeus has long been the global leader in advancing dental esthetics and dental wellbeing. Its successful, award-winning product lines meet almost every dental need – from cosmetic, to hygiene, to restorative – and have an established track record of consistency, quality, and reliability that dentists have come to rely on. While Heraeus is best known for these time-tested and diverse lines of first-rate dental products, its lesser-known charitable efforts continue to make an impact as well.
As a successful global company, Heraeus feels very strongly that it has a responsibility to use its resources to assist the greater community — and to transform lives in a positive way. Heraeus is indeed a company that cares, and works to demonstrate that daily. That’s why Heraeus has made a commitment to help victims of domestic violence through the Give Back a Smile Foundation, the premier program of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation (AACDCF).
“[The Give Back a Smile] program was developed to address a need in the communities of AACD members,” states the AACDCF on its Web site, aacd.com. “Volunteer dentists and laboratory technicians agree to restore … the smile-zone of survivors of intimate partner violence. Survivors know that bruises and scars will fade but broken and missing teeth will not. Our generous dentists help erase the memories of abuse by restoring the smiles at no cost to the survivor, thereby restoring their lives.”
Through this arrangement, Heraeus becomes a proud corporate underwriter of the GBAS organization. This charitable effort follows in step with Heraeus’ role in GBAS’ “Shop to Give” campaign, through which Heraeus makes a generous donation to GBAS for each Heraeus’ Venus Diamond Basic Kit purchased from the “Shop to Give” Web site. This money will go toward GBAS’ efforts at restoring the smiles and lives of domestic violence survivors.
Mona, a 2008-2009 GBAS program recipient, survived facial gunshot wounds that damaged her palate and shattered her jaw and several teeth. Her story can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wge9bR8GdBo. She credits GBAS for helping to turn her life around after her devastating domestic violence experience.
“To be able to smile again has given me back my self-confidence and, in many ways, my life,” says Mona. “Give Back a Smile is an amazing organization.”
Heraeus is not a stranger to charitable efforts. It is a proud underwriter of the National Children’s OralHealth Foundation (NCOHF), a non-profit organization that provides access to care for thousands of underserved children, and also donates a portion of its sales of Venus Temp C&B to support NCOHF efforts. Additionally, Heraeus has donated its products to dental professionals who have generously given their time to help patients in need.
Brief documentaries showcasing these efforts – “America’s Toothfairy: Fighting Dental Disease in Children” demonstrates the work of NCOHF, and “Gabriela’s Story” shares a child’s journey to full smile restoration through donated dental services and Heraeus materials – can be found on Heraeus’ YouTube site.
“Heraeus is not just a successful company, but a successful company that cares,” says Christopher Holden, President of Heraeus. “We firmly believe in supporting the community and helping to meet the needs of those who cannot afford the healthy smile they deserve. We are grateful for this opportunity to give back, and look forward to a productive relationship with the AACDCF and Give Back a Smile program.”
For more information on this or other charitable efforts by Heraeus, go to www.heraeus-dental-us.com and click on “Corporate Social Responsibility” or call (877) 431-1785. For more information on Give Back a Smile, visit www.aacd.com/index.php?module=cms&page=31. To view the above-referenced YouTube videos and see other posted Heraeus instructional and educational offerings, visit Heraeus’ YouTube site at http://www.youtube.com/user/HeraeusKulzerLLC#p/u.
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About Heraeus
Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with over 155 years of tradition. Our businesses include dental products and biomaterials, precious metals, sensors, quartz glass, and specialty lighting sources. With product revenues approaching € 2.6 billion and precious metal trading revenues of € 13.6 billion, as well as more than 12,300 employees in more than 110 companies worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.
About Heraeus Kulzer Dental: Transforming Lives
The Heraeus Kulzer Dental Division mission is to advance the oral health of patients around the globe. To that end, we continually apply our research, science and global resources to deliver unparalleled innovation and exceptional products to both dental practitioners and laboratories. While product safety and efficacy are always our main goals, we also aim to create value-based products that unlock new levels of productivity in dental practices and dental laboratories. Interrelated products including the Venus® brand of low stress composites, Venus White® Whitening Systems, Flexitime® Impressions Systems, Gluma® Desensitizers, iBond® Bonding Solutions, PALA® Mondial® Teeth, and Modern Materials® Gypsum Products offer exceptional diagnosis, treatment, and restorative care.
Heraeus also collaborates with health care providers, researchers and academic institutions to support community wellbeing and overall oral health. To that end, Heraeus is a corporate supporter of theNational Children’s Oral Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides access to care for thousands of underserved children, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Heraeus is the world’s largest private refiner with over 50 years experience. For more information on Heraeus or its products, call (800) 431-1785 or visit www.heraeusdentalusa.com.