October 17, 2018

The first-ever Kids in the Klinic Doug Yarris Most Valuable Participant Award was presented to Kimberly and Leo LaRocca.

On a sunny fall day described by one staff member as "exceptionally beautiful," University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry's 21st annual Kids in the Klinic Golf Classic brought together 200 participants and volunteers. Held Oct. 15 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, the event benefited oral health care for children who otherwise would not be able to afford it.

This year's tournament raised $120,000 for the school's Kids in the Klinic Endowment through funds raised at the golf event and a matching gift provided by University of the Pacific's Powell Fund. Over the course of two decades, the event has generated funding to grow the endowment to nearly $2.7 million in total today. Additionally, winemaker Charles Hendricks announced his commitment to establish the hope & grace Endowment for Community Oral Health.

The Kids in the Klinic program helps underserved children throughout Northern California. Hundreds of children each year receive care at the Dugoni School's Hutto Patterson Pediatric Clinic and Redmond Family Orthodontic Clinic, with nearly $100,000 in free and reduced-cost care afforded through Kids in the Klinic.

"These funds mitigate the cost of care for patients in greatest need," said Dean Nader Nadershahi in his remarks at the event. "Over the last five years, Kids in the Klinic has provided nearly half a million dollars in dental care to children." He added that in 2017, the pediatric clinic saw more than 1,100 individual patients for a total of 12,279 procedural treatments, and accepted nearly 200 new patients.

Kids in the Klinic honored three outstanding volunteers with the inaugural Kids in the Klinic Doug Yarris Most Valuable Participant Award, given to Kimberly and Leo LaRocca. "Kimberly and Leo raised the bar in their efforts getting donors and sponsors for Kids in the Klinic," remarked Dr. Yarris. "Their enthusiasm is what philanthropy is all about. I am humbled and honored to have this annual award named after me."

One hundred and fifty golfers played the two courses. This year's event featured a $5K putting challenge, $100K hole-in-one prize, a cocktail hour followed by a raffle drawing and live and silent auctions. Other fun on-course activities included hole-in-two, long-drive and closest-to-the-pin challenges.

Celebrity appearances and entertainment included Golden State Warriors' ambassador Adonal Foyle and "hype man" Franco Finn, world-renowned saxophonist Mike Phillips and KTVU sports director Mark Ibanez.

This year's event sponsors were hope & grace wines; NBC Bay Area; San Francisco Media Company; Tiret & Company; Align Technology, Inc.; Bittner Family Dental Group; Nava Fathi, DDS; Heritage Bank of Commerce; Mitchell & Mitchell Insurance Agency, Inc.; Northern California Practice Sales; Rodeo Dental; bubly; California Bank of Commerce; Dugoni Orthodontics; Leo M. LaRocca Attorney at Law — Law Offices of Niven & Smith, LLP; Pacific Dental Services; Wesley Wong — Quality Dentistry; Jon Ball; Giampaolo Boschetti  Aida Plaza Hotel; Dr. Brady Beck; Calender-Robinson Co., Inc.; California Hydronics Corporation; Morgan Thomas — Compass; Arthur A. Dugoni, DDS, MSD, Dean Emeritus; Dugoni School Alumni Association; Dugoni School Dental Hygiene Alumni; Kenneth Frangadakis, DDS — Kokkari Estiatorio; Eddie K. Hayashida, DDS; Dr. & Mrs. Peter Jacobsen; the Lai Family; Kimberly Mahood, DDS, MSD; Mark Murphy — Northeast Private Client Group; Past Presidents - Dugoni School Alumni Association; Dr. Paul & Susan Senise; Sterling Premier Properties; Bernie Stoltz — Fortune Management; Tracy & John Taddey DDS; The Law Offices of Daryl Weinroth; Bing E. Xia, DDS; and Dr. and Mrs. Gary S. Yonemoto.


To get involved as a sponsor of next year's Kids in the Klinic Golf Classic, please contact the Dugoni School's Office of Development at kidsintheklinic@pacific.edu or 415.929.6403.

See photos from the event at https://dugonischool.smugmug.com/2018-Kids-Klinic-Golf/

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu

Categories: Administration, Community Impact, Events, Featured, Support, 2018

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu