İzmir Chamber of Dentists (İZDO) took action for the citizens who were affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquake as well as the dentists working in that region.
İZDO Secretary General Serdar Devrim Erkmen said that they started to work as a chamber from the first day to heal the wounds of the earthquake that affected 11 provinces and caused great loss of life and property.
Erkmen said, “The dentists who are members of İZDO will volunteer to work in the mobile dental clinics put into service by the Turkish Dentists Association in Maraş, Antakya and Adıyaman. Our doctors will go to the region alternately and provide health services to our citizens. We also supported mobile dental clinics with dental equipment and hardware.
As İZDO members, we also offered shelter and employment opportunities to the earthquake victims who came to İzmir.
Since the first day of the earthquake, we have mobilized our resources to heal the wounds," he said.
WE PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT TO STUDENTS
Secretary General Serdar Devrim Erkmen said that they also launched a scholarship campaign for university students studying in dental faculties in Izmir and adversely affected by the earthquake.
Erkmen also informed that the Earthquake Commission was established within the chamber and continued as follows:
“As a result of the meetings with the İZDO Student Branch, the deans of dental faculties, our chamber committees, district representatives and many of our members involved in the studies, we set out to reach the students studying in the faculties of dentistry, to check their status and to determine their needs. For this purpose, we have formed a working group under the name of 'the commission for helping students in earthquakes' within our chamber. As the first task, we determined the students who live in the earthquake zone and study in our city through student body work. Out of the 140 students we contacted, we identified 57 students who were found to be in need after detailed interviews. We were able to ensure that our students enter March with financial support from their future colleagues. We have ensured the continuity of this support by registering with our commission and the grantors that the scholarship aid, which is determined in two different degrees, will continue until the last year of our students' school life. Thus, the university education of the students whose families have suffered financially will be relieved financially.”