MGE Management Experts Joins Forces with Dental Clients Against a Major Source of Economic Destruction
St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) April 10, 2014 -- MGE Management Experts hosted a conference March 26 where leading dentists and their executive staff from across America met to analyze and take active action against one of the sources of economic destruction, which affects not only their practices, but also the local community and the nation.
The four day closed-door conference examined the issues dentists were finding in each of their cities across the nation.
"They all reported that finding qualified staff was becoming much more difficult than in years past. With the high US unemployment numbers it would seem one could more easily find employees. However, the ability to read and write (AKA literacy) is sorely lacking and a common denominator in many of their applicants,” said Luis Colon, CEO MGE Management Experts.
According to a study conducted in late April 2013 by the Department of Education and the National Institute of Literacy, 32 million adults in the U.S. can't read. That's 14% of the population. 21% of adults in the U.S. read below a 5th grade level, and 19% of high school graduates can't read. The current literacy rate isn't any better than it was 10 years ago. Economic security, access to health care, and the ability to actively participate in civic life all depend on an individual's ability to read. (Source Huffington Post 2013.09/06)
According to the Department of Justice, “The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence and crime is welded to reading failure.” The statistics back up this claim. 85% of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate, and over 70% of inmates in America's prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level, according to BeginToRead.com.
“That one harmful element is illiteracy. Interestingly enough this one destructive element is closely connected to poverty,” said Larry Kaplan, DDS, Literacy Project Chairman.
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), there are more than 72 million children under age 18 years in the United States. Forty-five percent or 32.3 million live in low-income families and 22 percent or 16.1 million live in poor families. This translates into 1 out of 5 young people living in poverty which can impede children’s ability to learn.
"We can't just sit back and do nothing. We all need to take responsibility for our communities. These shockingly bad conditions are all related to one common denominator, illiteracy. And something workable must be done about it," said Dr. Kaplan.
“We are banding together to attack illiteracy head-on by raising not only the awareness of it, but also money for needed books and audio books. Our group has decided to raise funds to obtain tens of thousands of books and audio books proven to help children read, and then to get them directly into the hands of the children in need via vital social betterment groups such as the Boys and Girls Club of America and other Youth Groups promoting and supporting literacy. In the March meeting we pledged an initial $50,000 for books and are determined to raise $500,000 at a benefit dinner being held end of May,” said Dr. Kaplan. "This will start to break the cycle of illiteracy that is destroying our young people and our nation.”
About MGE Management Experts
MGE Management Experts, Inc. has been in operation since 1997 and is located in St. Petersburg, FL. CEO Luis Colon, has led MGE in training tens of thousands of dentists on such subjects as management, case acceptance, marketing, communication, executive skills, financial planning and leadership. The training is based on the administrative technology of L. Ron Hubbard that is used in more than 100,000 companies and organizations across the globe to their benefit and prosperity. For more information call 727-530-4277 today or visit http://www.mgeonline.com.
Jeannine Dowdell, MGE Management Experts, +1 (727) 530-4277, [email protected]
Share this article