Santos Cortez,Jr., DDS, presented Dr. Charles Goldstein with the Foundation’s inaugural Humanitarian Award in May. Dr. Goldstein was a mentor to many, including Dr. Cortez, who said it was an honor to present the award on behalf of the Foundation Board of Directors to such a deserving individual, friend and mentor.
Charles Goldstein, DDS Receives Humanitarian Award
Dr. Charles Goldstein, or Charlie as he was called by those who knew him, was honored with the first California Dental Association (CDA) Foundation Humanitarian Award in a presentation at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family, friends and colleagues this May.
Dr. Goldstein passed away the following night. He was 87 years old.
“The timing of awarding this to Charlie was quite touching,” said close friend Santos Cortez, Jr. DDS who presented the award on behalf of the Foundation. “It was such an honor that I was able to present him with the Foundation’s Humanitarian Award. He is the epitome of what the award represents – unselfish generosity.”
Dr. Goldstein was chosen to be the first recipient of the Humanitarian Award for his leadership to the profession of dentistry, for his efforts with the University of Southern California (USC) Mobile Clinic program and a career of other philanthropic oral health activities helping thousands of underserved men, women and children. He was nominated by CDA President-Elect Carol Gomez Summerhays, DDS, who was mentored by Dr. Goldstein. “Charlie had such an incredible heart. He was a model of a true servant leader. Those around him were compelled to follow his example. His legacy will live on in the lives he has touched so deeply,” remembered Summerhays. A $2,500 award contribution will be given by the CDA Foundation to the USC Mobile Clinic in Dr. Goldstein’s name.
Both Drs. Cortez and Summerhays were mentored by Dr. Goldstein and worked along side him in the USC Mobile Clinic program. Dr. Goldstein was appointed director in 1970 of the mobile clinic program, which began as a bare bones operation. Students traveled in donated Checker cabs and worked in a trailer. “The mobile clinic was one of the reasons I chose to attend dental school at USC,” said Dr. Summerhays, “I was impressed with the work the mobile clinic was doing for migrant farm workers. While it was founded by dental students, Charlie Goldstein really established it and made it grow. On weekends, we dental students would carpool to participate in the program. We worked all day and slept on the school floor at night. The community would usually feed us. Charlie would tell us that it was just as important to serve as role models for the children as it was to provide dental care. It was on these mobile clinics that most of us had our first exposure to clinical dentistry and Charlie made it fun as well as educational,”
Dr. Cortez credits Dr. Goldstein for him applying and being accepted to USC School of Dentistry. “I met Charlie in 1971 when I volunteered at a mobile clinic. He is the one who encouraged me to apply to dental school. I feel I owe my career to him,” reflected Dr. Cortez.
“He was such an inspirational force in my life. He cared so deeply about the underserved and had an infectious way of attracting other people to do the same. The last words I said to Charlie after presenting him the award were ‘In short, Charlie, I want to be just like you.”
The CDA Foundation Humanitarian Award was established by the Foundation to recognize California dentists who have distinguished themselves by outstanding, unselfish leadership and contributions to fellow human beings in the field of dentistry.
The Foundation had scheduled the award presentation for Dr. Goldstein at CDA’s House of Delegates meeting in November, but made the decision to present the award to Dr. Goldstein last Saturday at his home after learning of his declining health. “Serving those in need was more than a job for him, it was a crucial element of his life’s philosophy,” said his son Jeffrey. “He thought the highest calling of humans was to serve others. He did that as a dentist.”
