Story of IVI supporters: ‘Smile Future Dental Clinic’ - the first member of the IVI Giving Club “Our clinic aims to give customers confident smiles and bright tomorrows. Now, thanks to the IVI, we can also present a healthy tomorrow to poor children around the world.”said Dr. Hee Ju Lee, Co-Director of the Smile Future Dental Clinic, smiling as he explained what it is like to be the first of now five IVI GIVING CLUB members. Smile Future Dental Clinic, established in 2003 by six orthodontists, has been a solid supporter of the IVI. Since becoming IVI's first GIVING CLUB member in 2004, these generous orthodontists and staffs have contributed $ 10,000 each year to the Institute. Dr. Hee Ju Lee and Dr. Jong Tae Kim took time of out of their busy schedules to share their thoughts and plans for the IVI. –Ed. Q: How did you first join the IVI GIVING CLUB? Dr. Lee: When my five colleagues and I decided to open a clinic together, we made some basic rules. One is to decide everything together on a consensus basis, and the other is to do what we can to help those in need. So giving back was our policy from the very beginning. When I first heard about the IVI, I was delightedly surprised that an international organization with such an important mission of humanitarian medical research is based in Korea. As medical practitioners, we are well aware of how vaccines as a preventive health intervention can affect people’s lives and health. As such, it was natural that we made a unanimous decision to join the IVI GIVING CLUB. Actually we are grateful that the IVI gave us this wonderful opportunity. Q: It has been over a year and a half since you joined the GIVING CLUB. Have you noticed any change? How did your staff and customers respond? Dr. Lee: There has definitely been some change in our work ethic. Now the clinic is not just a workplace; you can work here, while at the same time helping save poor children. Our staff members are also organizing a medical volunteer club. Dr. Kim: Customers often ask what it is about when they see the GIVING CLUB plaque sitting in our office. It helps boost our customers’ trust in our clinic. On our side, this gives us a sense of pride and responsibility as a private ambassador of the IVI. Q: How did you first get involved in this kind of philanthropic activities? Dr. Kim: I have been doing some volunteer work to treat patients with Hansen's disease for about 20 years. Also, serving as a member of Rotary Korea, I realized there are so many people who need our help. Dr. Lee: We see a lot of people making huge sacrifices to help others. I think it is what little we can do for the underprivileged to make a small contribution as an IVI GIVING CLUB. Also, knowing is half the battle. There are many people who want to help others, but don’t know how. If they know there is a place like the IVI that develops life-saving vaccines against so-called ‘neglected diseases’ for the world’s poorest children, they might well do the same. So I think we can never overemphasize the importance of public advocacy activities for the IVI. Q: Do you have any wishes for the IVI? Dr. Kim: It would be great if the IVI initiates more active communication with the Korean Medical Association and builds a larger network of supporters. Many clinics and hospitals hope to directly communicate with an international organization, especially those conducting medical research, such as the IVI. I witnessed how the Rotary has contributed to the near elimination of polio by supplying polio vaccines. I believe that vaccines are really powerful. Doctors' treatment and preventive vaccine are both equally precious in that they both help save lives. So it would be great if the IVI and the medical establishment can build up a partnership to share the humanitarian cause. Smile Future Dental Clinic has received the ISO (International Standards Organization) 9001 certificate for the first time among orthodontics in Korea. It is an orthodontics clinic jointly run by six alumni of the prestigious Seoul National University. As for the ISO 9001 certificate Dr. Lee says that it is an expression of their commitment to provide the best service to the customers. They are also keenly interested in developing innovative technology such as surgical orthodontics. ▶ What is a GIVING CLUB? It is a unique support program for the IVI, in which a company, organization or group makes financial or in-kind contribution of more than $ 10,000 a year by mobilizing part of its own budget, or funds raised through donations by staff and/or customers. Besides the Smile Future Dental Clinic, other GIVING CLUB members are Tani nextdoor, a Japanese fusion restaurant; Doremi Media, a music album producer; The Team Communications, a P.R. agency; and GIANC, a medical consulting firm. For future inquiries about Smile Future Dental Clinic, Tel: 82-2-1566-7528 / www.smilefuture.com For future inquiries about the IVI GIVING CLUB, please contact the Head of Fundraising, Ms. Joy Sohn, at 82-2-881-1180 / jsohn@ivi.int