Mission of Mercy Providing Free Dental Care in Reading, Pennsylvania
Local dentists, oral surgeons, hygienists and dental specialists are taking part in a day of providing free dental care to anyone who needs it at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania. Mission of Mercy, running the event, hope to see 1,000 patients each day during the two-day event, and expect long lines of patients coming to the arena for the special event.
The care provided at the event is free and there is no pre-registration, making the event first-come-first-serve. All patients need to do is show up, have a screening of their teeth and they are on their way to the dental chair.
Over 1000 volunteers and over 150 dentists will be on hand to take care of dental needs, including free cleanings, extractions, fillings, root canal treatments as well as some partial dentures and dental appliances. There will be paediatric dentists available to treat children’s teeth as well.
Organisers have warned that often the lines for treatment can start forming as early as 4.00 AM.
The Mission of Mercy Pennsylvania clinic (MOM-n-PA clinic) has been treating patients since 2013, providing over $4 million worth of free dental care through the state, including in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown and Erie.
The hope of the organisers is that people who are anxious about dental care can get treatment and will go on to have regular dental care at a local clinic, and have called for more long-term solutions to help people in disadvantaged areas get the dental care they need.
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