Donated Dental Services (DDS) Volunteers Honored at Mets Game

On August 15, our partner, Guardian Life Insurance, honored two of DLN’s DDS volunteers at a New York Mets baseball game. Drs. Jessica deSouza and Ed Miller were recognized by the New York Mets as the Everyday Champions of the game. 

“We are so grateful to Guardian Life for our partnership and for recognizing these volunteers’ commitment to helping individuals in need,” said Lynda Ricketson, President and CEO of Dental Lifeline Network. “It was an honor to have DLN represented at the Mets Game, and we look forward to our continued partnership with Guardian for many years to come.”   

Our Everyday Champions 

Dr. Ed Miller, a DDS volunteer since 2005, has seen 31 patients in that time and has given $103,555 total in donated treatment. He serves as chairman of the DLN • NY Board of Directors and is DLN’s New York State Ambassador. As an oral surgeon just north of New York City and a long-time Mets fan, he was excited to be recognized as an Everyday Champion during the game.  

“I had a great time watching my favorite team and was happy to represent DLN as an Everyday Champion of the game,” said Dr. Miller. “My son even got to go out on the field with me, and he was thrilled.”   

 Dr. Jessica deSouza got involved in dentistry because she felt she could make a difference in the field. She works as a dentist in the heart of Manhattan and has been a DDS volunteer since 2016. In that time, she treated five DDS patients and has given $17,882 in donated treatment. 

“I was honored to be selected as an Everyday Champion and was excited to be able to see a Mets game, my family’s favorite team,” said Dr. deSouza. “I hope that other practitioners will take the time to volunteer with Dental Lifeline Network.”   

During the game, both volunteers received a jersey with their name on it and were featured on the jumbotron while they were recognized on the field.  

Our Partnership with Guardian Life 

Since our partnership began in 2018, Guardian Life’s support of Dental Lifeline Network has been instrumental in our ability to provide dental care to over 47,000 individuals nationwide, resulting in nearly $98 million in donated treatment. This includes vital care for over 3,000 military veterans, who received more than $18.2 million alone in donated treatment.