Members of the dental community, including the ADA and the ADA Foundation, continue to offer resources and other forms of support to people still recovering from Typhoon Haiyan, which lashed the Philippines in early November.

At the ADA, Dr. Kathleen O’Loughlin, executive director, dispatched a letter in the early aftermath of the disaster to Dr. Fernando Fernandez, president of the Philippine Dental Association.

“It is in times of great need that organizations need to come together to strengthen and rebuild what has been lost,” Dr. O’Loughlin wrote. “Your colleagues in the United States are thinking about your country and hope to hear from you in the near future.”
 
The ADA Foundation continues to accept donations specifically to aid dentists and others providing dental care in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. Combined donations will be granted to the ADA’s Division of Global Affairs, which will identify and work with a reputable nonprofit to distribute the funds to be applied to the greatest need. The ADA Foundation is not accepting applications for individual grants related to Typhoon Haiyan.

Donations may be made online or by sending a check to ADA Foundation, 211 E. Chicago Ave., Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60611. For Typhoon Haiyan relief, write “Philippines” in the memo field of remitted checks. Funds not used for Typhoon Haiyan relief will be used for future international disaster relief purposes.

Members of the dental supply industry have contributed or plan to contribute financial and other resources to aid recovery, too.

Procter & Gamble has made a donation to the ADA Foundation’s typhoon relief efforts and pledged more than $ 1.6 million in product donations. The company will distribute products through organizations such as the Philippine Red Cross, World Vision and many other local organizations helping with recovery.

The product donations encompass essential personal care and household items in the P&G family of products. P&G also has pledged to send trucks to help with distribution of relief supplies and has shared more than 1 million sachets of P&G Purifier of Water in partnership with World Vision and Save the Children to help people without access to clean drinking water. Each sachet eliminates parasites, bacteria and pollutants in up to 10 liters of water.

Also, P&G employees have packed relief goods and made in-kind and cash donations through an employee charity fund.

Henry Schein Inc., health care products and services provider, plans to donate $ 150,000 to support relief efforts.  The company is working with its suppliers and non-governmental organization partners—including AmeriCares, Direct Relief, Heart to Heart International and MedShare—to provide funds raised through its Henry Schein Cares Foundation and essential health care supplies for ongoing relief efforts.    
The disaster response effort is part of Henry Schein Cares, the global corporate social responsibility program of Henry Schein. 
 
“The citizens of the Philippines remain in dire need of assistance, and Henry Schein is committed to supporting relief efforts for the victims of this terrible tragedy,” said Stanley Bergman, chairman of the board and chief executive officer, Henry Schein Inc., in a press statement.  “For more than two decades, Henry Schein has been dedicated to taking an active role in supporting disaster preparedness and relief efforts around the world, in coordination with our suppliers and NGOs.”  
 
To help accelerate the response to emergencies around the world, Henry Schein Cares ships products to international relief organizations year-round to ensure their warehouses are stocked when disasters strike. Aside from donating health care products, the company’s Henry Schein Cares Foundation established the Philippines Relief Fund to make contributions to organizations providing relief in the Philippines, including Catholic Relief Services, Islamic Relief USA, IsraAID, Lutheran World Relief and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 
Benco Dental donated more than $ 10,000 to help support victims of Typhoon Haiyan, said company representative Julia Amendola.  Benco asked its employees to donate funds, too.  “Associates were asked to consider donating to Save the Children, an organization with extensive boots on the ground in the Philippines,” Ms. Amendola stated.  “In addition, associates at Benco’s headquarters in Pittston, Pa., held a jeans day where associates could wear jeans to work by making a donation.  As with all associate fundraisers, Benco generously matched these donations and Benco’s charitable foundation contributed an additional amount.  Benco associates are passionate about giving back and take pride in helping those in need.”
 
Patterson Dental, working with AmeriCares, donated three pallets—1,200 boxes—of Patterson Private Label latex powder-free gloves.
 
“We want to thank to AmeriCares for reaching across the world to help with recovery efforts in the Philippines,” according to Ed Kenney, a territory representative with Patterson’s Metro New York/New Jersey Branch.
 
Patterson’s third-party logistics provider, Koch Logistics, handled the shipment to AmeriCares at no charge, Mr. Kenney said.
 
Ivoclar Vivadent also announced plans to provide relief support, as ADA News reported online Nov. 20.