b'PERIO PEOPLEWhatsupDoc?Do well by doing goodAAP member Dr. Steven Feldman puts Ben Franklins advice to good use through Charitable Giving CampaignSeveral years ago, Venice, Florida-based The Sierra FoundationThe Tidewell Hospice said that their periodontist Dr. Steven Feldman and his Florida Chapter donation has enabled them to continue wife Karen got word of a dentist whoproviding their normal services throughout charged $29 for second opinions and gaveThe Feldmans didnt stop there. Thethe COVID-19 pandemic. the money to charity. To be honest, wedpractice also matches each patients been so busy running our practice thatdonation with its own $100 donationorIn one case, however, the appreciation was we hadnt really thought of giving money$200 in the case of the Boys and Girlsslightly delayed. One day I got a call from a to charity, says Dr. Feldman. But whenClub of Venice, which is particularly closenew fundraising executive at All Childrens Karen and I heard about this, we decidedto the Feldmans hearts. So instead ofHospital trying to figure out why this to see if we could take his idea and build$29, the beneficiaries of their campaignperiodontal practice in Venice kept sending on it. The result is their Charitable Givingwould receive between $200 and $300them all this money, said Karen, laughing. Campaign. per patient. Her predecessor had forgotten to tell her A Big Idea Importantly, they decided to let theabout our campaign. Of course, when I told patient choose which charity would beher what we were doing, she was thrilled.Picasso is alleged to have said, Goodthe recipient of their largesse. BenefittingA Big Surpriseartists borrow. Great artists steal. If thislocal charities was just one of several is true, then the Feldmans are truly greatmasterstrokes by the Feldmans. WeIt turns out that the Charitable Giving artists who not only steal ideas but buildfelt it was important that our patientsCampaign has one beneficiary the on them. Their idea was to raise morebe able to relate to the organizationFeldmans hadnt counted on: their practice. than $29 per patienta lot more: Theythats receiving their donation, says Dr.We went into this knowing that foregoing would waive the practices normal newFeldman. Equally important, Karen vetteda $510 fee on 200 to 300 patients a year appointment fee of $510 ($125 for thethe charities to make sure that all havewould hurt our revenue, says Dr. Feldman. consultation and $385 for a CAT scan) ifadministration fees that are less than 10But instead, our revenue actually grew. patients would make a $100 donation topercent of their revenues.We got amazingly busy, and we stayed that one of the following local charities:wayeven during the pandemic. AndBoys and Girls Club of Venice Since 2015, the Charitable Givingthe reason is that the Charitable Giving Campaign has donated almost $300,000Campaign had some effects they hadntTidewell Hospice to those charities. And those charities are most appreciative. The Boys and Girlsanticipated.Salvation Army of Venice Club of Venice told the Feldmans that the According to Dr. Feldman, Now whenAll Childrens Hospital programs donation covered the cost ofI walk into the room to meet a newDisabled VeteransLocal 101 every one of their summer scholarships.patient, they almost always begin by AAP Periospectives| 44'