California Life News Room

Getting people to volunteer can sometimes feel like pulling teeth, unless those people are the students of Youth Leadership America—and the one doing the pulling—is 7 Day Dental’s Dr. Chuck Le.

Dr. Le was recently named “Business Person of the Year” by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, partly due to his philosophy of “the more you give back, the more you get.”

A few weeks ago, Dr. Le gave back in a big way, with the inaugural “Dentists Pulling from the Heart Day.” 14 oral surgeons teamed up with more than 100 volunteers to provide free tooth extractions to Anaheim residents in need.

Many of the volunteers that day were from Youth Leadership America, a non-profit organization that fosters leadership and networking among high school students with the help of sponsors like the Disneyland Resort.

The students say the event was an eye-opening experience. Hundreds of people, many of whom had been suffering from toothaches for years, showed up to take advantage of the free service. In all, about 500 teeth were removed, a savings to the community of $100,000. Dr. Le hopes next year his team will be able to help even more people.

In the meantime, his efforts have already inspired Youth Leadership America to find new ways to give back, in Anaheim and abroad. YLA has launched a letter outreach project for earthquake and tsunami victims in Anaheim’s Sister City – Mito, Japan. Their goal is to collect 1,000 letters of kindness and support, to help the people of Mito through this difficult time.

Letters should be sent to Anaheim Ciy Hall by May 27, 2011.

Anaheim Sister City Commission
Attn: Kindness Campaign

200 S. Anaheim Blvd., 7th Floor

Anaheim, CA 92805

For more information, visit www.anaheim.net/articlenew23.asp?id=4041

Watch my education story of Pull from the Heart with Dr. Le on this week’s episode of California Life airing statewide or watch online www.californialifehd.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqdIL3jeY8s