Patients Trade Food Pantry Items for New Retainers

Our office has always operated on the assumption that nothing in life is free.  For this reason we have had a policy that lost or broken retainers must somehow be paid for by the patient. For many years the “price” patients paid was two dozen homemade cookies and a story about how the retainer was lost or broken.

After years of replacing lost or broken retainers for a fee of "cookies and a story," local Orthodontists Drs. Sellke and Reily decided it was time to make a change.

“We decided it was time to change it up a bit with donations. It gives us and our patients an opportunity to give back to the community," says Julie Myrdal, Office Manager in the Grayslake location.

So now if you're a patient of Drs. Sellke and Reily, whether in Grayslake or Antioch offices, your new "fee" is to bring in your creative story and also a donation for the local food pantry. A list of ideas for non-perishable items is provided.

Holly Schneiderman of the Antioch office says, "Drs. Sellke and Reily have a long history of giving back to the community through Dental Health School Talks, sponsoring local baseball teams and many other donations through the years. This is another opportunity for us to give back, and our patients really love the opportunity, they've been so generous!"

Patients bring their donation into the office when they come in for their new retainer. At the end of the week, Drs. Sellke and Reily's staff bring the donations to the Open Arms Food Pantry in Antioch or the Avon Township Food Pantry in Grayslake. Since starting this program, over 6000 pounds of food as well as diapers, paper towels, toilet paper and many cash donations have been donated. Everyone wins!

—Drs. Sellke and Reily provided this information.