On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. Thousands of men, women, and children were buried in the rubble as buildings collapsed upon them. Sadly, the death toll is currently at 41,000 and is expected to rise to over 50,000. Makeshift camps have sprung up around the country, but the condition for the survivors continues to get worse each day. International aid is slow to come, as many of the roads have been demolished. Trash is also piling up with no one to collect it.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Charmaine Johnson worked with Deputy Chief Operating Officer of MGE Management Experts, Sabri Blumberg, to keep Premier Smile Center operating. MGE provides practice management training for dentists and their teams. Dr. Johnson is also part of an exclusive MGE Alumni group called the ACEs. This group had its monthly Zoom meeting on Thursday, February 9th, during which the doctors and office managers from all the top dental offices in North America were in attendance. Over 267 people were on the Zoom call.
During the ACEs meeting, they learned that Sabri had lost almost her entire family in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The few family members that remained were left hopeless without any supplies or help. The ACESs group decided that something needed to be done. Together, they decided to have a fundraiser right then and there during the Zoom meeting. In less than 2 hours, the group collectively raised $140,000 in contributions!
Dr. Johnson said that by the end of the call, everyone was crying happy tears. Sabri was shocked and said, “This will not only help my family but the entire town!”
“I would like to thank my AWESOME team, as without them I would not be able to service my patients so well. And most of all, I would like to thank all my patients who have supported my small business all these years,” said Dr. Johnson. “Without your trust and support, the ACEs would never have been able to raise such a large amount of money. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!”
Thousands of people still need help. If you would like to donate contributions, there are many organizations online accepting contributions, please ensure you are donating to a reputable charity. If you would like to learn more about the many charitable efforts that take place at Premier Smiles Center, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Charmaine Johnson at Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale.
