Foundation Publicity The ADA News, March 18 edition, page two, reported on the PFA Scholarship Program, though it did provide some misinformation that is currently being corrected. The article stated that dental school scholarships were available and the Foundation Central Office has been besieged by requests. It should be noted that the dental school deans select the applicant, who is usually a third- or fourth-year student.		Loader-Espinach Award Costa Rica Section Executive Secretary Zianny Piedra reported that the Loader-Brenes Espinach Award 2002 was held on March 8th at the Cariari Hotel in San Jose. PFA International President Scott Welch attended, which honored Dr. Benjamin Herazo at their conference and luncheon. Further details will follow.

	Letter to the White House by Foundation Vice President Carl Lundgren
	Dear President Bush, In response to the administration’s encouragement of volunteerism, the following is submitted for your information: An international dental service organization, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, through its Foundation, has awarded nearly two million dollars in grants and scholarships over the last six years to scores of volunteer dental organizations. Those organizations, in turn, provide volunteer dental care for thousands of people who are poor, homeless or impaired. Dr. Robert Shira (Major General, US Army, Ret.), President of the Foundation, said, “This year we have given our annual Humanitarian Award of $5000 to support disaster relief to dental offices who were demolished on September 11th.” The Academy has over 7000 Fellows who are outstanding dental leaders that are located in 64 countries. Each year the Foundation donates over $300,000 in service grants and for scholarships for needy dental students in 21 countries. This year Pakistan is included in that list. Some of the most unusual awards are: • Esperanza International, Inc. of California will provide dental care to the poorest children in Tijuana, Mexico. These children subsist in and live adjacent to the city dump. • The Pignon Dental Fund of Arkansas will provide dental care for the needy children in Haiti. • The Center for the Victims of Torture in Minnesota will provide psychological specialized training to dentists to provide dental care to 150 foreign victimized patients and to directly provide the care. • The Massachusetts PFA will provide a “toothprint” program for 1900 children that provides a thermoplastic material toothprint. This can aid in the identification of lost or abused children. The bite impression, the scent, and the DNA are retained in the prints. • The 1000 Smiles Foundation of California will continue to provide craniofacial deformity surgeries in Mexico and Costa Rica.		• The Health Volunteers Overseas will provide a workshop for dentists interested in volunteering overseas. • The Michigan PFA will provide dental care to a group of adults with “special needs” at a camp in the woods. • Donated Dental Services of Rhode Island will provide dental care for the disabled and the aging. • Bridge the Gap Foundation of the Netherlands, who have provided over 1000 free cleft palate surgeries in Viet Nam, will receive a grant to support two Dutch students for three months to assist their program. • The First Assembly of God of Louisiana will provide dental care for indigenous Indians of southern Mexico. • “Changing Lives” of Utah, along with the Flying Doctors of Mercy, will provide care to the poor in San Blas, Mexico. • The National Board of French Dentists provide a dental bus in Paris to provide care to the destitute individuals. • The University of Costa Rica received the last support payment for their new $105,000 multimedia teaching system that was provided by the PFA Foundation. They also received a grant to support a continuing education program. • A variety of 18 other grants were awarded supporting dental care for the under served. We really do have quite a fantastic story to tell. The grant and scholarship recipients all have their own special stories to tell as well. I am super enthusiastic about the results we have been getting. I am proud of our organization. Sincerely, Carl Lundgren