Hundreds Benefit From Mission Of Mercy Clinic In Louisiana
Hundreds of people in Louisiana benefited from free dental care this weekend, as the Mission of Mercy rolled into Mardi Gras World for a one-day dental event on Sunday.
Mardi Gras World was converted into a makeshift dental clinic, as dentists and volunteers set up 100 dental chairs for the day. The clinic ran from 5.30 am until 5.30pm and the event was aimed at adults and children who do not have the financial means to pay to see a regular dentist.
The clinic was run by the American Dental Association and the Louisiana Dental Association in partnership with America’s Dentists Care Foundation.
The most recent figures show that access to dental care is a major problem in Louisiana; almost a quarter of seniors in the state have lost all their natural teeth, a third of the population has not seen a dentist or dental hygienist in the last year and 41 per cent of residents living below the poverty line have lost their teeth as a direct result of neglect.
Children in Louisiana have poor standards of oral health, with 42 per cent of 6-8 year olds suffering from tooth decay, compared to the national average of just 28 per cent.
It is estimated that around 1,000 people were treated at Sunday’s Mission of Mercy clinic.
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