Over $170,000 of Free Dental Treatments Given to Needy Kiwi Families on Kidscan Lumino Day 2014
216 dentists, hygenists and support staff, 28 practices and one hard-out day giving as many free dental treatments to
those in need as possible - $170,000. The 465 new smiles created on happy, grateful patients – PRICELESS!
For the second year running, Lumino The Dentists and KidsCan teamed up for an entire day to provide free dental
treatments to those in need throughout New Zealand.
Lumino clinics across New Zealand, from Kaitaia to Dunedin, opened their doors on Saturday 14 June 2014 to KidsCan
families, with Lumino’s dentists, hygienists and support staff all pitching in, treating a whopping 465 patients on the
day, with the value of the donated treatment reaching $170,000, an increase of over $40,000 above last year.
Staff were inspired by the stories they heard, and every patient treated had a story to tell.
Shari Rutene was lucky to survive the Christchurch Earthquake. She was standing in a supermarket holding her
five-day-old baby with shelves smashing around her when the big one hit. Her family lost everything and relocated to the
Waikato.
She lost something else on Saturday – a tooth that had been causing her pain for some time. The Lumino team at Five
Cross Roads extracted the painful molar – and left Shari finally smiling with relief.
Lumino The Terrace Practice Manager, Anne Carter, is delighted with her team’s contribution to Lumino Day, especially
when things didn’t go quite to plan.
“I was so incredibly proud of the team. Not one of us have come away without having felt like we made a real difference.
It was a tiring, busy and sometimes intense day – the end was very emotional.
“The patients we saw were so very grateful for the time taken to treat them. It was all a very humbling experience; one
we will repeat any time in the future”
One couple arrived with their youngest, aged 3 with them. Mum was expecting baby number seven any day, and Dad had
started work at dawn. What should have been a routine extraction for Dad turned into a nightmare surgical proceedure
that took over two hours.
“We were fully booked but we soldiered on. We took care of the wee boy and fed him; triaged patients arriving; juggled
other patients and held babies.
“We did a good job. I know because patients hugged us. I still have tears in my eyes when I think about the day. How
could you not? I’m so proud!”
Marketing manager for Lumino The Dentists, Kerry Dunphy, says the day was so positive and uplifting for their entire
organisation that they hope to make it an annual event.
“I can’t tell you how humbled we all are by the people we were priviledged to help on Lumino Day.
We can see ourselves committing to this initiative for many years. This day has become so important to each and every
one of us because of the difference it makes to people.”
ENDS