Western Dental & Orthodontics, one of the nation’s leaders in accessible, affordable oral healthcare and the Southern California Chapter of NFL Alumni have joined forces with Walgreens once again to provide free COVID vaccinations to anyone 5 years and older at a COVID Awareness Holiday Block Party.

The event is Saturday, December 4, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the Western Dental Kids office at 2144 Bristol St. in Santa Ana.

Walgreens pharmacists will administer free COVID vaccines, COVID boosters and flu shots. The public is welcome. There is no charge for the event.

“Increasing vaccinations among Southern Californians is critical in gaining control over this pandemic,” said Dr. John Luther, Chief Dental Officer at Western Dental. “We’re grateful for Walgreens’ generous support of free vaccines and our partners at the NFL Alumni that have been great in helping get the word out.”

James Washington, President of the Southern California NFL Alumni Association and a two-time Super Bowl champion as a defensive back with the Dallas Cowboys, will be on site to support the vaccination initiative and sign autographs. Former Los Angeles Raiders and New York Giants player Jarrod Bunch will also be present, along with other NFL alumni.

“We hosted a similar event around Halloween, and it was very well received,” said Mr. Washington. “It made sense to gather our team together around the holidays and keep up the momentum to fight against the pandemic.”

The National Football League Alumni is the oldest, most well-known retired player organization in professional sports. Membership includes retired players, coaches, front office executives, spouses and cheerleaders. The NFL Alumni offer a variety of medical, financial, educational, and social programs to its members and their families.

Western Dental is a preferred dental provider for all of the Southern California Alumni Chapter’s members and provides dental services to NFL alumni players and their families, including orthodontics, dental implants, crowns and restorations, and pediatric dentistry. Western Dental is also a partner of the NFL Alumni’s Caring for Kids charity, which raises money and recruits volunteers for youth-related causes.

“We are proud of our association with the NFL Alumni,” said Edwin Rivera, Vice President, Community Engagement and Strategic Alliances for Western Dental. “They continue to be ideal partners in serving our local communities through these kinds of events.”

Partners from Latino Health Access will also be in attendance.

“We’re pleased to be a part of this worthwhile event,” said America Bracho, CEO of Latina Health Access. “Latino Health Access is very much aligned with the goal of Western Dental and the NFL Alumni to bring equity to the community by providing free and easy access to the COVID vaccine.”

DJ Humberto Luna from Spanish-language radio station “La Ranchera” (KWIZ 96.7) will broadcast live from the event. Free toys and surprise bags for kids will be distributed (while supplies last). Other free giveaways include local restaurant gift cards for the first 150 attendees, Northgate Market gift cards to the first 50 adults who receive a COVID vaccination and other raffle prizes.

“We are grateful for partnerships like these and opportunities to meet communities where they are with access to the care that they deserve,” said Tiffany Huynh, Pharm.D., Healthcare Supervisor, Pharmacy and Retail Operations for Walgreens.

For more information about the event or to schedule an appointment, visit www.westerndental.com or call 1-800-6-DENTAL.

ABOUT WESTERN DENTAL

Western Dental (with its supported affiliates, including Brident Dental & Orthodontics and Vital Smiles) is one of the nation’s leaders in accessible, affordable oral health care, serving more than 2.5 million patient visits annually in 343 affiliated offices throughout California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Alabama. In addition to general dentistry, Western Dental offers orthodontics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and endodontics in its offices, creating a convenient full service “Dental Home.” All of Western Dental’s services are backed by a unique quality assurance system that electronically monitors all patient visits, treatments, dental staff and clinical performance to enable high-quality care. To learn more about Western Dental or inquire about an office in your community, visit www.westerndental.com or call 1-800-6-DENTAL.

ABOUT THE NFL ALUMNI-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

The NFL Alumni is a nonprofit organization founded in 1967 and composed of former National Football League (NFL) players, coaches, team staff members and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of “youth through sports and sports through youth.”

ABOUT WALGREENS

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the United States segment of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail pharmacy. As America’s most loved pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens purpose is to champion the health and well-being of every community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services.

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