(Photo courtesy of Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic)
Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic has received nearly $109,000 in grant awards and major donations since April of this year, all of which will help to expand its mission and services throughout the region.
For nearly 20 years, Kemple Clinic has worked to improve the oral health and well-being of children and young adults in Central Oregon by delivering critical preventative, dental treatment services and education for those whose families cannot access basic dental care. In their latest round of funding, generous support of Kemple Clinic comes from the following entities:
–The Ford Family Foundation provided a $45,000 grant to support the Children’s Oral Health Services. The Ford Family Foundation was established in 1957 by Kenneth W. and Hallie E. Ford. Its mission is “successful citizens and vital rural communities” in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California.
–Pacific Source Foundation provided $20,000 to support Kemple Clinic Oral Health Services for children and young adults (age 3-25). Pacific Source Foundation’s mission is community health improvement guided by the touchstones of better health, better care, and lower healthcare costs.
–Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund provided a $15,000 matching grant for Kemple Clinic’s 2016 Brighter Smiles Campaign.
–Helen M. Lilley Trust provided a private trust donation in the amount of $14,630.
–Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation provided a $7,500 grant for Kemple Clinic to deliver on-site and in-school oral hygiene services to low income children and teens. The CCUIF’s mission is to add to the quality of life for people in the Cow Creek Tribe’s seven-county service area in southwest Oregon.
–Rotary of Greater Bend provided a$3,000 grant for regional screen and seal programs. The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
–Les Schwab Tire Centers of Oregon, Inc. provided a$2,000 donation to fund Kemple Clinic’s program needs.
–Quota International provided a$1,500 grant to support Kemple Oral Health programs. Founded in 1919, Quota International is a non-profit organization empowering women, children, the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired in local communities around the world.
Over the past year fiscal year, Kemple Clinic and its team of volunteer dentists provided 2,261 treatments to 281 children with a combined total of nearly $160,000 in free, professional dental services, including basic hygiene as well as minor and major dental restorations.
Kemple Memorial Children’s Dental Clinic began in 1998 with the vision of Dr. H. M. Kemple, a dentist who wanted to ensure all children received excellent dental care regardless of their families’ ability to pay. Our mission has expanded over the years to meet the oral health needs of Central Oregon – our focus is on prevention of oral health disease, providing a wide range of dental care services to children and young adults in our region, regardless of insurability or ability to pay.
Oregon ranks as one of the worst states in the U.S. for dental decay. Oral health is vital for overall health and Kemple Clinic and our supporters believe all children deserve bright smiles! Early intervention is key to ensuring good dental habits and outcomes, so we partner with various community agencies to reach kids and teach them great oral health habits.
