Dr. Coffee created the Denver-based Dental Lifeline Network while in dental school, seeking a way to help his sister who was critically ill and unable to find care. DLN is a national nonprofit organization that provides access to dental care and education for people who cannot afford it and have a permanent disability, who are age 65 or older or who are medically fragile.
“OHA is excited to honor Dr. Coffee with this well-deserved award. Since retiring from DLN, he has actively advocated for Medicare to redefine the concept of ‘Medically Necessary,’ which would help millions of people who are currently delaying care,” said Beth Truett, President & CEO of OHA. “As part of our Medicare Coalition, Dr. Coffee is key to providing the experience and stories of people who desperately need this benefit. He is an esteemed colleague and a dear friend of OHA.”
Dr. Coffee is best known within the profession and the industry for DentaCheques, a program of the Dental Lifeline Network that has generated $330 million in dental treatment for 112,000 deserving patients in all 50 states. More than 15,000 dentists and 3,700 laboratories serve as DDS volunteers who provide care.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and a recipient of the ADA’s Distinguished Service Award, the ADA/Colgate Palmolive Award for Outstanding Service to the public and profession, the Frederick McKay Award for Excellence in Preventive Dentistry from the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the Northwestern University Alumni Award of Merit.
ABOUT ORAL HEALTH AMERICA (OHA)
Oral Health America’s mission is to change lives by connecting communities with resources to drive access to care, increase health literacy and advocate for policies that improve overall health through better oral health for all Americans, especially those most vulnerable. Through Smiles Across America®, which serves 477,000 children annually, the Wisdom Tooth Project®, which reaches tens of thousands of older adults, and the Campaign for Oral Health Equity, which prioritize oral health alongside other chronic diseases, OHA helps Americans of all ages to have a healthy mouth and to understand the importance of oral health for overall health. For more information about Oral Health America, please visit oralhealthamerica.org.
