Robinson's Volunteerism Noted
By Leslie Rott

Dr. Judy Robinson and her assistant, Sharon Christ, in front of a Delta Dental mobile dental unit in Baton Rouge last October.

Summer resident Judy Robinson will be recognized by the Ohio Dental Association for her volunteer work in Louisiana last year following the Hurricane Katrina disaster. She will receive the Marvin Fisk Humanitarian Award during the 140th Ohio Dental Association Annual Session August 26.

Dr. Robinson, a pediatric dentist, and her husband, Jim Cretcher, have been summer residents on Mackinac Island since 1990 and live at Stonecliffe Manor. They are members of Wawashkamo Golf Club, Mackinac Island Yacht Club, Mackinac Associates, and Sunset Forest Association.

Last October, Dr. Robinson and 10 other Ohio Dental Association members took turns staffing a Baton Rouge dental clinic, operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and provided by Delta Dental. All 11 volunteers will share the service award.

"It was depressing," she said of her three days at the clinic. "People lost everything, but were very grateful for our help."

The hurricane, she said, wiped out many dental clinics in the region and left residents without transportation to get help.

Dr. Judy Robinson

She responded to an e-mail alert from her dental association's Council for Access and Public Service.

"There was literally a week's notice to organize this," said Kathy Woodard, the communications and public service director for the Ohio Dental Association. "It was just remarkable that they did this."

Dr. Robinson studied at Ohio State University and is also a member of the American Dental Association, Dayton Dental Society, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and Ohio Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.