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A Reason To Smile

Alpha Omega provides free dental care for Holocaust survivors.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman | Contributing Writer

L

Dr. Jamie Feldman

Michael Tenenbaum

ucy Gorowicz loves to show her
teeth — because they are beautiful
and because she remembers how,
for a long time, they weren’t.
“This patient had gone for years unable
to chew her food; not to mention, she didn’t
have a very attractive smile,” said Dr. Mark
Luria, who provided her with upper and
lower removable partial dentures in his
Dearborn dental office.
“On receiving her teeth, through tears of
happiness, she said [through a translator
that] her own natural teeth had never looked
this good, even when she was a young adult.
She can now eat all the foods that she could
only dream of before.”
Gorowicz, who lives in Livonia, is among
24 Holocaust survivors receiving free care
from 38 area dentists and dental special-
ists — including endodontists, oral surgeons
and periodontists — who are members of
the Detroit Alumni Chapter of Alpha Omega
International Dental Fraternity, the Jewish
dental organization.
The group has been participating in the
multi-city Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares
Holocaust Survivors Oral Health Program
since it began in January 2015. The goal of
the pilot three-year initiative is to provide
pro-bono dental care to 250-300 patients in
the U.S. and Canada. To date, 140 patients
have been treated. The value of dental care
provided and devices like crowns and den-
tures donated by dental labs during the first
year is estimated at approximately $500,000.
“Many of these survivors have gone many
years with a total lack of dental care and are
now, after all these years, finally smiling as a
result of our efforts,” said Luria, who helps to
oversee the Detroit component of the project
chaired locally by Dr. Marvin Sonne and Dr.
Jamie Feldman.
The program was created following
Vice President Joe Biden’s December 2013
announcement of the White House initia-
tive to support the needs of Holocaust
survivors living in the U.S. Both Sonne and
Feldman attended the program launch in

Marvin Sonne

Jamie Feldman

12 January 21 • 2016

November 2014 in Washington, D.C.
Alpha Omega International was founded
in 1907 by Jewish dental students to
fight discrimination in dental schools. Based
on principles of professionalism, fraternal-
ism and Judaism, it is the oldest inter-
national dental organization and oldest
international Jewish medical organization.
Headquartered in Rockville, Md., AO
International is now primarily an educa-
tional and philanthropic organization, hav-
ing raised and distributed millions of dollars
for dental health, education, research and
care worldwide. AO International represents
about 6,000 active dentists and dental stu-
dents internationally.
“We stand for tolerance and inclusiveness
for all and see our goal reaching far beyond
the dental arena, although that is still our
main focus,” said Sonne, a two-time past AO
Detroit chapter president.

SHARING LIFE STORIES
“As an international Jewish dental organiza-
tion, we have a unique perspective and a
special bond to Holocaust survivors,” Dr. Avi
Wurman of Toronto, a past AO International
president and Survivors program co-chair,
said in a statement. “All of us recognize the
need to improve the oral health and the
quality of life of this most deserving segment
of our population.”
One quarter of the approximately 130,000
Holocaust survivors in the U.S. live in pov-
erty. Many have special oral health needs
from prolonged nutritional deprivation and
little or no dental care as children.
Bernice Edelstein, AO International’s pro-
gram coordinator, refers to the program as
having “such a positive impact” on both the
patients and the dentists.
“The participants give selflessly by provid-
ing comprehensive pro-bono dental care,”
she said. “The pictures I have seen and the
stories I have heard of these dentists and
their patients are heartwarming.”
Detroit-area dental professionals say
they are receiving so much more than they
expected in their relationships with patients.
Dr. Beth Rosenberg’s patient has shared
life stories, through a translator, during his
half a dozen visits to her Belleville office for
care that included teeth cleaning and resto-
rations for cavities.
“We have spoken about his life in Russia
when he was younger, about immigrating to
America, and the several steps and countries
he went through before coming to Michigan,

as well as his difficulties
because he never learned
to speak fluent English,”
she said. “He has conveyed
a little about the Holocaust
when speaking about grow-
ing up in Russia.
Lucy Gorowicz, with Dr. Mark Luria, shows off her new teeth.
“He is a very kind and
happy man. He is always
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE
happy to be in the office
The Survivors program is just one of AO
and always tries to slip me money or treats
International’s many social-action, world-
for my work — which I never accept — but
wide volunteerism and community outreach
which make me realize how appreciative he
projects.
is for getting a denture and partial denture
“The Detroit Alumni Chapter has always
so he is able to eat better.
responded to the dental needs of the Jewish
“My staff enjoys seeing him, too. I can’t
community,” said Gail Halsted, AO Detroit’s
explain how rewarding it is to help him. It
has been such a fulfilling experience for me, executive director.
Beyond their regular practices, members
and I am so happy that I can be a part of this
program. I feel so good to give back to some- provide free dental care to the indigent in
their own offices, and volunteer in local clin-
one who has endured so much in his life.”
ics and those in foreign countries. Members
SURVIVOR CONNECTION
also participate locally and with AO
“Although I was born after the Holocaust, I
International Global Oral Health Initiative
knew many survivors, heard the stories and
programming that includes support of the
saw the toll it took on them,” Feldman said.
elderly, working with the handicapped and
“My parents were not Holocaust survivors,
the Special Olympics, and distributing food
but during World War II my father fought in to the needy.
the Navy and his brother fought in the Army.
In an overlap of volunteerism, Luria’s
My ex-wife’s parents were survivors, and
brother, Bruce, also a Dearborn-based dentist
my brother, [the late] Clark Feldman, was a
and AO International member, encountered
psychiatrist in Los Angeles who did special
the patient he treated through the Survivors
group sessions with Holocaust survivors and program in a setting outside of his office.
children of survivors.
“Bruce was delivering food for Yad Ezra
“My parents were committed to ‘Never
through his temple, Birmingham Temple,
Forget.’ The horrors and atrocities were
and was so surprised when the woman who
not hidden from me,” said Feldman, AO
came to the door was his patient,” said Mark
International photographer and a past AO
Luria, a past AO Detroit chapter president.
Detroit chapter president, whose Survivors
“The patient was even more surprised!”
program involvement is based in his
The 315 Detroit chapter members
Southfield home.
include volunteer specialists and dentists
“The struggles of every Jew are my
who provide no-cost care for low-income
struggles,” he said. “Alpha Omega is a unique Jewish patients without dental insurance at
organization that affords me the opportunity the Southfield-based Jewish Dental Clinic,
to do far more than I could as an individual.” a project of AO’s Detroit chapter.
While in Washington, D.C., last December
BRINGING DIGNITY
for the annual International Convention of
In addition to survivors, the program
Alpha Omega, Feldman visited the United
includes individuals of any faith who were
States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
victims of Nazi persecution.
“The hellacious tragedy is beyond belief,”
Patients must be without dental cover-
he said. “Despite a tear in my eye, I left the
museum with pride and the satisfaction that age. Locally, Jewish patients are referred
by Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan
I was making a difference. Perhaps it is a
small thing in the total scope of this ongoing Detroit (JFS) in West Bloomfield, which
assists 500 Metro Detroit Holocaust survivors
catastrophe, but at least I am doing some-
with support that includes home care, coor-
thing. I wish it was more. These survivors
dination of services, transportation and help
deserve more.”
in accessing funds owed to them through the