D-backs unveil Pediatric Dental Suite at A.T. Still University

Arizona Diamondbacks President & CEO Derrick Hall took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the D-backs Pediatric Dental Suite at A.T. Still University's Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH). A.T. Still University is a 2011 recipient of the D-backs' $50,000 Grand Slam Award funded by the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.

"We are proud of the new D-backs pediatric dental suite at A.T. Still University and are thrilled that this grant will be able to assist families that are unable to afford proper dental care treatments," said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall. "The suite looks fantastic and we know that it will put smiles on the faces of many young D-backs fans in the years to come."

The $50,000 award establishes the Arizona Diamondbacks Pediatric Dental Suite at ASDOH's dental clinic in Mesa. The dental suite consists of two child-friendly rooms that offer a warm, nurturing environment for children to receive care. The pediatric dental suite will allow an increase in the existing clinic's capacity by 19.9 percent from current levels as well as help ATSU-ASDOH students gain knowledge about pediatric dentistry.

A portion of the funds from the Grand Slam award will go toward providing uncompensated oral care for children from low income families. Children ages birth to 12 from low income, working poor families receive care at ASDOH's pediatric clinic. Most of them are uninsured (93.77%), or have parents who are either unemployed or are struggling to pay their bills.

"We are taking our young patients out to the ball park without leaving their dental chair thanks to the generosity of the Arizona Diamondbacks," said ATSU-ASDOH Dean Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH. "Our pediatric patients will receive the best dental care in a fun environment with Baxter and views of center field."

The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation established the Grand Slam Awards in 2002 to make a larger impact on community organizations by providing a grant for up to $100,000. The D-backs will award five local organizations with Grand Slam Awards throughout the 2012 season, including A.T. Still University ($50,000), Make-A-Wish Foundation ($50,000), Kitchen on the Street ($100,000), Florence Crittenton ($100,000) and Children's Museum of Phoenix ($100,000). The grants are made possible by fundraising efforts by the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.