Orthodontist Dr. Leon Klempner of Coolsmiles Orthodontics in Medford and Port Jefferson NY Helps Great Neck High School Students Raise $5000.00 for Third World Children with Facial Deformities

    MEDFORD, NY, March 06, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Orthodontist Dr. Klempner was the keynote speaker at a dinner hosted by the Great Neck High School Operation Smile Club. The fundraiser was held at Cafe Rustica in Great Neck, N.Y. on February 9th. Operation Smile is a mobilized force of medical and dental professionals who provide safe, effective reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate in third world countries.

At the fundraiser, Dr. Klempner discussed his experiences with cleft palate patient care all over the world and showed before and after pictures of children treated during his eleven overseas missions abroad.

The Great Neck Smile Club was founded by Arielle Sasson, currently in her junior year. "I became involved with Operation Smile when my father, a plastic surgeon, showed me photographs from a Brazilian mission 20 years ago. I decided that I needed to do something to help children born with cleft facial deformities."

Operation Smile club raised money through bake sales, bracelet sales, letters to the community and raffles. Last year, $7000.00 was raised through their hard efforts. This year, with the help of Dr. Klempner, they were able to raise $5000 from one event. Cafe Rustica donated half their profits from the events to help also.

This is the second event Dr. Klempner has hosted for Operation Smile in 2009 before he leaves for Nairobi, Kenya on Feb 25th along with other medical professionals from Stonybrook University Hospital. Their mission is to train local physicians how to perform this simple medical procedure that positively affects so many lives in as little as 45 minutes. It takes as little as $240.00 to provide cleft lip or cleft palate surgery for one needy child. To make a donation of any size, large or small, go to www.operationsmile.org.

Dr. Leon Klempner is an orthodontist practicing in Port Jefferson and Medford, NY. He is the founder of Coolsmiles Orthodontics and is the orthodontist for the St. Charles Hospital Cleft Palate team. He is on the teaching staff of Stony Brook Hospital and has been a volunteer for Operation Smile, Health Volunteers Overseas and Smile Train. This year he is volunteering his services at Gertrude's Children's Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr. Klempner and his partner Dr. David Amram provide expert orthodontic care in the Long Island, NY area offering the latest in braces for children and adults which includes Invisalign for patients who don't want to look like they are wearing braces. They have two locations; 1645 Route 112 Medford, NY (631-289-0909) and 656 Main Street Port Jefferson, NY (631-928-9800). Contact either location for a complimentary new patient consultation or visit www.coolsmiles.com for more information.

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