A newspaper article about a free dental health clinic in Virginia planted a seed of an idea for Marjory Hizer Kreischer (DH '68), and two years later she started Bradford County Dental Health Services, Inc in Towanda, Pennsylvania. Working with other volunteers known as the Advocates for Children's Dental Health, Marjory located grants to start-up the clinic and was fortunate to discovery a dentist who was retiring and selling his operation.

     Marjory brought the seed to life with an incredible amount of her own volunteer energy. Recently, she was recognized for that effort with The Highmark Foundation Excellence in Service Award that came with a $15,000 grant to the clinic from the Pennsylvania Medical Society. She was also appointed to the Oral Health Policy Academy through the National Governor's Association to help improve oral health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "As a non governmental, not for profit dental clinic and in existence for 6 years, I was able to bring our experiences to the State attention," Marjory said.

     As a hospital trustee, a veteran of three of her own businesses, and as a volunteer member of State and Federal councils, Marjory wanted to make a difference in the dental health needs of low and moderate income families in her own community. "Once the idea was formulated to start our own dental clinic, I kicked into high gear," she said.

     She and other volunteers formed a not-for-profit corporation, secured funding, and opened the clinic in Towanda, Pa in 1997. It was the first not-for-profit dental facility in Bradford County and included a full time dentist, 1 part time dental hygienist, an office manager and a dental assistant.

     "I worked as the volunteer CEO 24/7 for three years and then became the clinical consultant and part-time dental hygienist. When we first started the clinic I hired two women who were on welfare, one became our receptionist and the other our dental assistant. Our dentist traveled 1 ½ hours each way for three years."

     Realizing early on that there was still a great need in the community, the clinic expanded just three years later into a new four operatory facility in Towanda. The move not only generated more space, but also allowed the clinic to host twice as many patient visits. With 11 employees, there are about 120 -150 patient visits and 5 - 10 new patients each week. She has trained an employee to do the daily work she did, and her volunteer job now consists of helping other clinics get started, traveling, and grant writing. She still puts a half-day in at the clinic so she can "get into the trenches again with (the team) to tweak any problems," since really, her favorite part of the clinic are the patients.

     Marjory summarized her work this way: "The rewards are daily: to see the smiles on faces of patients who had been so neglected for so many years, a lot of hugs and tears. Every day at the clinic is like divine intervention."
    
     She resides in Towanda, along with her husband Paul and son Derek.

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