I want to thank Dr. Jun Lim and the Chicago Dental Society for inviting me to speak at the 2016 Midwinter Meeting held at McCormick Place. It was a great turnout, and hopefully everyone there was able to learn something. For those of you who couldn’t make it to the meeting, I thought I would share with you what I considered the most important take-away from the lecture.
My suggestion can be summarized in one simple word: Volunteer. I want to encourage everyone to volunteer in their community. My presentation was obviously focused on dentistry because I see a huge need for volunteer dentists, hygienists, and assistants. However, you don’t have to be close to the dental field to volunteer. There are so many amazing organizations that need your help. And the best part is, most of them are in your own neighborhood.
You don’t even have to dedicate an entire day. Maybe you have 4 hours to spare every other month. Even that small amount of time can make a huge impact.
Are you a stay at home mom that can’t leave your kids home alone? Consider fostering a dog for a local shelter until they can be adopted.
Are you a graphic designer, computer technician, or do you know how to design websites? You wouldn’t believe the amount of benefit you could provide a local organization in just a very short amount of time.
In my experience, volunteers often get more out of the experience than the people they are helping. You can even make it a family event. Many organizations have tasks that most school aged children can perform.
In summary, I encourage everyone to take a few hours out of your month and make a positive impact on your community.
