January 12, 2021
By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com
A program initially launched by a local oral surgeon has managed to raise nearly $50,000 for Gleaners Community Food Bank of Livingston County.
Officials say the Gold for Food Program was a huge success this past year. Several local dentists and many generous local dental patients participated in the program last year that was initiated by Dr. Fredric L. Bonine back in 1996.
Patients are asked if they would like to donate any extracted teeth that contain precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum or palladium. The teeth are collected by participating dentists over a year and then sent to Atlantic Precious Metals, a refinery located in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania. The proceeds are then donated to Gleaners Food Bank of Livingston County. This year, the total amount collected in dental metal was $24,703.61. That amount was then said to be generously matched by Krogerâs for a total donation of $49,407.22.