Thousands Queue For Free Dental Clinic Three Days Early
Thousands of people gathered at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on Monday to line up for a free dental and medical clinic, which does not even open until Thursday.
Such is the demand for affordable medical and dental care; volunteers started distributing wristbands for the event on Monday afternoon, even though the clinic will not officially open until Thursday. The clinic will run for four days and a host of treatments and services will be available, from dental treatment and basic health checks, to vision tests and immunisations.
By late Monday morning, organisers, Care Harbor LA, estimated that 4,000 people had gathered at the arena and in total, volunteers are hoping to treat almost 5,000 people over the course of the four-day event.
Claudia Robledo was one of those eager to join the line early; she arrived at the arena on Monday morning to make sure that she would get a wristband. Robledo has not seen a dentist or an optician for six years and she is hoping to get any problems fixed.
Towards the end of the queue was Yasheema Adjawa, who had driven from Costa Mesa; she said that she had not seen a dentist for major treatment for 30 years and estimated that she would need around $4,000 worth of treatment. She said that she simply cannot afford to see a dentist on a regular basis on the income she earns. This story was very familiar and the sheer number of people gathered at the event three days in advance of its opening is testament to the dire situation in the USA.
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