COMFORT DENTAL FOUNDER RECEIVES AWARD
FROM MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

• The Marquette University Alumni Association has selected Dr. Rick Kushner D.D.S. to receive the prestigious School of Dentistry Outstanding Dental Service Award.

• Dr. Kushner is President and founder of Comfort Dental, and Marquette alumnus.

• The Marquette University School of Dentistry Outstanding Dental Service Award honors outstanding contributions to dentistry either through practice, education, or public service. Dr. Kushner will receive the award at the School of Dentistry Alumni National Awards ceremony on Friday, April 24, 2009.

• Dr. Rick Kushner founded Comfort Dental in 1977 and pioneered the concept of accessible, fair priced dentistry.

• Comfort Dental’s mission is to provide quality, affordable dental care. For example:
-New patients are $19 which includes exam and x-rays;
-Braces for kids are $119 per month*, adults are $129 per month*;
-As a comparison to published rates by the Colorado Dental Association, Comfort Dental’s fees are about 50% of what other Colorado dentists charge.

• Comfort Dental has grown to over 60 offices and 180 partner dentists in four states, and over one million patients. Comfort Dental is the largest true dental franchise in America. Each office is independently owned by dentists.

• Comfort Dental is one of the largest Medicaid providers in Colorado. (According to a survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on dental accessibility, most dentists’ participation in Medicaid lags far behind the participation of others in the medical profession. The survey concludes that dentist participation in the Medicaid program is crucial to providing dental care access).

• Comfort Dental improves access by having extended office hours including Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, Saturdays, 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and 24-hour emergency access. (Many dentists close their office at 6 PM, are not open on Saturdays. Most dentists do not offer 24-hour emergency care).

• For people without insurance, Comfort Dental offers their own dental plan. Comfort Dental’s Gold and Silver Plans
have approximately 50,000 members and offer discounts on a wide variety of dental services.

• Comfort Dental also supports numerous philanthropic efforts. Most notably, Comfort Dental offers free dental care on Christmas Eve Day to those in need. Since 1984, Comfort Dental’s Care Day has served more than 50,000 patients and provided services valued at more than $10 million.

• Comfort Dental also supports various programs to benefit children by partnering with The Denver Zoo, The Denver Nuggets, The Colorado Rockies and Mount Saint Vincent.