The Trudi Birger Dental Clinic’s Dental Volunteers for Israel program operates a free dental clinic in Jerusalem for children aged 4-26. DVI also treats needy elderly and Holocaust Survivors, providing free dentures and other desperately necessary dental care.
Youth treated come from all the diverse backgrounds represented in Jerusalem’s indigent sector. In practice this means that DVI treats significant numbers of Palestinian and Jewish Israeli children and youth – including new immigrants from Ethiopia & former USSR and Secular & Ultra-Orthodox native Israelis. The Jerusalem Municipality’s Welfare Services and 'At-Risk' Youth Department decides who, among the approximately 200,000 Jerusalem children living below the poverty level, is eligible for dental treatment at DVI. The clinic is manned by dentists from around the world who volunteer for periods of 1 – 4 weeks and is currently able to provide over 13,000 treatments a year. In June 2009, DVI was awarded the highest recognition to an Israeli volunteer organization for its contribution to the community – the Presidents Award for Volunteerism.