CINCINNATI -- A local dentist returned home from his second trip to the World Trade Center.

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Wright Identified Dental Records

Dr. Frank Wright, a forensic dentist from Anderson Township, has gone to ground zero to help identify victims of the Sept. 11 attack, WLWT Eyewitness News 5's Evelyn Robertson reported.

Wright has cleared his appointment book twice during the last three months and traveled at his own expense to aid in the relief efforts.

"It's not a financial issue. It's an issue of social calling and feeling the need to do something positive to help other people," Wright said.

Wright's first visit was in September, but at that time the recovery of the bodies was slow, Robertson reported.

"There was a ton of rubble adjacent to the buildings and they really couldn't get back to where a lot of victims were the first time I was there," Wright said.

Wright and other volunteers prepared a dental record database for thousands of victims. As remains are recovered, volunteers like Wright are the only ones who can confirm identities.

During his last visit, Wright and his team had 24 matches.

"It made us feel really good at this holiday time. That we could provide closure for maybe up to 24 families," Wright said.

Wright said that helping in the rescue efforts is worth the time away from his practice and family to help other families that have lost so much. He added that relieving his counterparts is the least he can do to help colleagues who have been working for weeks.

"Those people have given their time two or three or four times a week for three months. They've got offices. They've got families. They've got all these things they are supposed to be doing," Wright said.

Of all of the rescue crews on the scene, the forensic dentists are the only ones who are not compensated for their time, Robertson reported.

Wright said that the real heroes of all of this are the people who died and the families who are getting on with their lives.

Stay with WLWT Eyewitness News 5 and ChannelCincinnati.com for more information on recovery efforts.