August is Make-A-Will Month! We thought this would be a great opportunity to share one long-time volunteer’s story about his recent estate planning and highlight the gift planning resources Dental Lifeline Network has available for you. First, we want you to meet Dr. Terry Buckenheimer:
Dr. Buckenheimer has been practicing dentistry in Tampa, FL, since 1981. He has been deeply involved in community causes, including as a volunteer for DLN’s Donated Dental Services (DDS) program since 2012. As an extension of his volunteerism and philanthropy, Dr. Buckenheimer recently updated his will to provide for the charities closest to his heart – including DLN. As a new member of DLN’s Legacy Society, he was anxious to share why taking care of his favorite causes was an important part of his estate planning.
Q: How has giving back factored into your professional life and your dental practice?
A: I’ve always had a giving heart, and I realized I needed to put it to the right use! I have given back through my practice for years, and I’ve served on local boards, as well as on the board of the ADA and Florida Dental Association. Through my board service with the ADA, I became aware of Dental Lifeline Network and helped with the expansion of the DDS program across Florida. The DDS program gets my staff involved and welcomes people into our family of patients. We now see two or three DDS patients a year. It’s a blessing to have a job and the skills to make changes in people’s lives. Now I get to extend that blessing to other people.
Q: When working on your estate plans, how did you decide to include DLN in your legacy planning?
A: With estate plans, after you make sure you’ve taken care of the needs of your family, you start thinking about the other things that are important to you that have a lasting impact. I wanted to make sure my family knows about the causes I care about, and I wanted all of the arrangements taken care of now. I have loved giving my time and effort as part of my contribution. This will help DLN carry on its work when I’m no longer here to put my labor in.
Q: What would you tell other volunteers about how your estate plans fit into your other support for DLN?
A: I want to provide monetary support to the organization that I have given so much time and effort to. This will make sure my legacy and the importance I place in the program carries on and is shown to other people. If you want to leave a lasting mark for the organization you’ve been deeply involved in, this might be important to you, too!
DLN offers a host of gift planning resources for those interested in learning how to include DLN in your will or estate. Visit our Gift Planning Page or reach out to Patrick Hayes at phayes@dentalifeline.org to get started today.
