Oral surgery office donating backpack of supplies for every referral

Esther Short — While Vancouver Oral Surgery is used to working with students on their oral health, the company is also trying to make sure students are properly prepared for their education. Through Aug. 15, the company is donating a backpack full of school supplies for each oral surgery referral they get from a dentist. Office Assistant Heather Finn said that the idea came about when the employees began looking for a way to give back to the community. “We chose school supplies because we felt education is important and we wanted kids to get off to a great start,” she said. “It’s really been a big dental community effort.” Dentists around the area are jumping on board with the project and donations will be made on behalf of the Clark County dental community, Finn said. Since the program started in June, the company has purchased more than 150 backpacks. The plan is to donate the backpacks directly to schools in the area of the dentist where the referral originated, Finn said. Employees plan to deliver the backpacks and school supplies by Aug. 18.