By: Alexandra Gage, Colorado Orthodontic Foundation

In 2020, a very tough year for non-profits, the Metro Denver Dental Society (MDDS) found a way to make one of their annual fundraising events more successful than ever! The 2020 MDDS Shred Event was held in late September—pushed later in the year due to COVID delays and caution—
brought in more boxes of materials to be shredded and a record amount of funds raised. Held at Rocky Mountain Orthodontics’ headquarters in Denver for the past five years, the event benefitted the Colorado Orthodontic Foundation
(COF) a 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission to connect low-income children and families across the state with affordable and quality orthodontic care options.

The MDDS Shred Event has existed for more than 15 years and benefitting COF since the summer of 2018. Each year the event grows, and more and more of the dental and surrounding communities find ways to participate. According to Dr. Neal H. Engel, DDS, an attendee of multiple
Shred Events over the years, the fundraiser “runs like a well-oiled machine. It is very convenient and quick and reasonably priced. Plus, it is for a good cause.”

One of the most unique aspects of the event, which makes it so valuable to the
dental community, is a feature that happens weeks before the actual Shred Event day. As part of an ongoing commitment to patient privacy and compliance with State Board rules and regulations, MDDS provides the opportunity for individual offices to take part in a joint advertisement in The Denver Post—this advertisement lists the names of dental offices disposing of patient records, allowing those patients the opportunity to respond. The advertisement
runs for four consecutive weeks, fulfilling the State Board obligations to post a legal notification. Even better, the charge is only $85/doctor or practice name, whereas an individual legal posting could cost upwards of $400!

Dr. Jenn Thompson, owner of Blue Sky Pediatric Dentistry (MDDS and COF Board Member) shares her perspective of the event, “The MDDS Shred Event has been great for my practice. After our office’s ‘COVID clean out’, I had many old patient records that needed to be disposed of properly. MDDS made it easy to place an ad and bring all the charts to drop off at the event’s convenient drive-through
location downtown. I will definitely be participating again this year!”

While convenience is a huge benefit, also keep in mind the proceeds of the event support the mission of the COF. Over
650 children in Colorado have received treatment from COF since its inception in 2009. The program has worked with over
100 local Colorado orthodontic providers to offer this much-needed service to families who would otherwise be unable to
afford braces for their kids.

The MDDS Shred Event is happening again this summer, generously hosted by Rocky Mountain Orthodontics at their headquarters in downtown Denver. The 2021 Shred Event Drop-off Day is Saturday, August 28 from 9:00am – 12:00pm at Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, conveniently located just east of I-25 at 650 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204. One “banker-sized” box (approx. 10″H x 12″W x 15″D) is just $7 to shred. Larger boxes are $12. Pay
on-site by credit card, cash or check (payable to MDDS). For more information
about the 2021 MDDS Shred Event, please contact the MDDS at membership@
mddsdentist.com.

After growing up in Southern California, Alexandra Gage moved to Denver in
2008 after working for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology outside of Boston.
Her affinity for non-profit work led her to the Colorado Orthodontic Foundation
(COF), where she has been acting Managing Director since December 2010. She has helped grow the organization to involve over 100 local Colorado orthodontic providers in caring for local children in need. She currently lives in Louisville with the COF Mascot, her pug, Fezzik.