A private review of clinical need
Treatment is decided after an independent clinical and program review. There is no public application, no campaign and no list of names; a case is considered because someone asked, and it is answered in writing.
Who the Foundation is for
Adults living with a severe, untreated condition of the teeth, gums or jaws: long-standing infection, teeth lost to disease or injury, a mouth that no longer allows eating or speaking normally, or damage left behind by an accident, an illness or treatment that was never finished, where the cost of care has been the reason it has not happened.
Children living with severe, untreated oral conditions, asked for by a parent or legal guardian, and treated with the pediatric dentist on pediatric days or, when the case needs it, by Dr. Tetri.
Severity alone does not decide a case, and neither does a story. The question the review asks is whether this person can be helped here, safely and meaningfully.
How the review works
- Ask about eligibility. An adult asks for themselves; for a child, a parent or legal guardian asks. The first conversation with the front desk is general, and no records are needed for it.
- Use the private channel. If the preliminary criteria appear relevant, we explain which records the review needs and where to send them securely. We ask only for what the review needs.
- Clinical and program review. The reviewers consider the diagnosis, severity and urgency, medical and behavioral factors, what can realistically be rebuilt, whether the person can tolerate treatment, the follow-up they can manage, the scope our office can responsibly provide, capacity, and whether another setting would serve them better.
- A written next step. The applicant, or the guardian, receives a decision or a request for clarification, usually within one to three weeks. An award covers exactly what the written decision names. The treatment plan stays individual.
What the reviewers are asking
Can this person be helped here, safely and meaningfully? A referral to a hospital, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (a surgeon of the mouth and jaws), a pediatric dentist, a physician or another service may be the more responsible answer. That is not a rejection; it is part of protecting the patient.
Who is selected
The review weighs clinical need against whether our team can responsibly deliver and then maintain the proposed care. The number of cases in a year is small and depends on the capacity of the office and on the cases already under way.
Privacy
Care is independent of any story or photograph. Nobody is asked to tell their story publicly, and using one later would need the patient’s, or the guardian’s, separate, specific written permission.
Funding
The Foundation is funded privately by Dr. Baruch Tetri. It does not solicit donations, and it does not accept them through this website.
How to ask
Begin with eligibility, and keep the medical records for later. Call the front desk at 786-320-5445 and ask for the Foundation eligibility process. Please do not put a diagnosis, photographs, records, a date of birth or other identifying information in the website form, the chat or an email; the front desk explains the private channel for records.
Questions people ask
Does an award cover travel or lodging?
An award covers exactly what the written decision names. Travel and lodging are named only when the decision says so.
How long does the review take?
Depending on how urgent and complex the case is, a written response from the doctor can take from one to three weeks.
Who can ask for a child?
A parent or legal guardian. If you are a relative, a teacher or a clinician, share this page with the family; the conversation starts with the guardian.
Can a clinician refer an adult patient?
Yes, with the patient’s knowledge. The first call can come from either, and the records come later, from the patient, through the private channel.
Is this a discount or a payment plan?
No. Payment plans and fees for ordinary care are a front-desk conversation. The Foundation sponsors select cases in full or in the part named in the decision, and it is not a way of negotiating a fee.