At this year’s Legacy Event, Whitney Young Health President and CEO David Shippee announced the launch of the Campaign for Smiles, a fundraising effort to support expanded dental care in the Capital Region.
The Campaign for Smiles will support the relocation and expansion of Whitney Young Health’s Albany Dental Practice, including a $2 million renovation of space owned by Whitney Young Health at 900 Lark Drive. The project will increase the capacity of the dental practice while modernizing and updating equipment. The Campaign for Smiles will also support dental care for low-income populations throughout the Capital Region, particularly children.
“Even though dental services are covered for kids under Medicaid and Child Health Plus in New York State,” says Shippee, “only about 40% of children who are Medicaid enrollees in Albany see a dentist at least once in a 12-month period. We want to move that number higher.”
According to Shippee, the campaign has exceeded its half-way mark. Lead donors to the project include the Touhey Family Foundation, the Hearst Foundations, Daniel and Sally Nolan, the Jewish Federation’s Wildflower Philanthropic Fund, Janitronics, SEFCU, the Review Foundation, David Shippee, M&T Charitable Foundation, and the New York State Department of Health.
To learn more, contact Whitney Young Health’s Development Office at info@wmyhealth.org or 518-591-4471.