Alumna featured in ‘Advocate’ story after decades of helping kids receive dental care

The Door County Advocate this weekend ran the very cool story of a UW-Green Bay alumna who’s long made a difference for children in need. Mary Ann Zjala, a 1977 Humanism and Cultural Change grad, recently retired from Ministry Door County Medical Center Dental Clinic at the age of 72. She started with the program in 1999 as a volunteer, passionate about helping children with little or no dental insurance receive adequate care, the story says. The program has grown significantly since, and the number of children served continues to grow. Zjala told the Advocate her passion for helping children receive dental care began when she was a returning UW-Green Bay student, volunteering at a free clinic in Green Bay. “I saw elementary students and kids on WIC and their families,” Zjala told reporter Pamela Parks. “We have them instruction on how to brush their teeth and eat a better diet. That is where it started and why I wanted to start this in Door County when I moved here.” Full story.