Fresno Oral Maxillofacial Surgery & Dental Implant Center recognizes how important and expensive higher education is. In response, our office developed Wisdom For Wisdom, designed to award hardworking students with wisdom teeth extractions free of charge to help offset the rising costs of college textbooks. We began this program because we understand firsthand how hard it is to afford college textbook costs.
Our office is committed to supporting academic achievement, despite the rising costs of higher education. Over the last decade, college textbook prices have risen drastically. Research conducted by the American Enterprise Institute found that there has been an 812% increase in the cost of college textbooks since 1978. Students in our community are struggling to afford college and, as a result, go without required course textbooks. The Wisdom For Wisdom program provides students the opportunity to put the funds they would have put toward medical expenses to their textbook costs instead.
Wisdom teeth grow during the mid to late teens. It is best to have these teeth removed between the ages of 17 and 25. Delaying removal can often cause harmful oral bacteria, which can cause gum disease, misalignment, infections, decay, pain, crowding, and damage to your otherwise healthy teeth. When proactively removing wisdom teeth during this period, we can prevent complications and help encourage healthy oral habits.
Our team designed the application process to be informative, short, and interactive. Program applicants must watch a short video designed to provide them with information on the wisdom tooth extraction procedure process. Students must answer a few quiz questions about wisdom teeth to verify they watched the video. Following the quiz, students submit their application, explaining what the procedure would mean to them if selected. Final recipients are selected based on factors such as financial need, academic achievement, and necessity of extraction.
Over the last two years, our program has helped many students offset the cost of college textbooks. The first Wisdom For Wisdom program launched in July of 2017. We offered one lucky student complimentary wisdom teeth extractions. After receiving numerous applications, we awarded the procedure to Briana P., a student at Clovis Community College. Briana was selected for her passion for achieving her goals.
The second annual Wisdom For Wisdom application period ran for two weeks, from June 1, 2018, to June 15, 2018. During this period, we received numerous applications from both high school and college students in our community. Three final recipients, Miles O., Taleen I., and Rachel R., were announced on June 18, 2018. They were all chosen for their academic achievements. It is clear from their applications that these students are college-bound and destined for success. We are excited to contribute by offering these complimentary procedures to help offset the cost of their college textbooks.
For more information on our recipients’ progress, visit our Facebook page. We thank you for your interest in the Wisdom For Wisdom program!
Stay tuned for the launch of our Spring 2019 application period!