Tulsa World: Dental clinic in need of volunteers, translators

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Dental clinic in need of volunteers, translators

By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer
Published: 10/4/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 10/4/2009 5:14 AM

A charitable event of Olympic proportions will be taking place at Tulsa Convention Center in February, and organizers are calling for 400 volunteers to participate.

The Oklahoma Mission of Mercy will be holding a free dental clinic for those who can't afford basic dental care. About 1,000 patients each day are expected for the Feb. 5-6 event, said Dr. Rieger Wood, organizer of the event.

"We will ask nothing of our patients. There's no donation pot," he said. There are no income requirements or necessity to prove need or lack of insurance.

He has volunteered at similar clinics in Kansas and Arkansas, and people wait in line for hours and even overnight for the care. The doors will open at 5 a.m. each day, and Wood expects to have the day's share of patients by 7 a.m. The clinic will operate until 5 p.m.

"This is a great need. There is little access to care for the indigent here," Wood said. "These are people who aren't on welfare because they make too much money. They are the working poor."

He said volunteer dentists will perform extractions, cleanings and fillings. There is also a need for around 60 Spanish translators, he said.

Major sponsors include Delta Dental Charitable Foundation and the Oklahoma Dental Foundation. Others are Oklahoma State Department of Health, Quik- Trip, Pepsi-Cola, El Rancho Grande, Rib Crib Barbecue, Mazzio's, McDonald's, Bama Pie, Cascia Hall Preparatory School, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Unit, First Baptist Church of Owasso, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and more.

Kim Archer 581-8315
kim.archer@tulsaworld.com By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

3 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

	Report Comment Centrist, the burbs (10/4/2009 3:42:55 AM) What a wonderful thing to do for people in the Tulsa area. I hope they recognize the Dentists and technicians that will provide this free service. I hope it will be an annual service for those in need.
	Report Comment WhoseLeft, Tulsa (10/4/2009 11:49:22 AM) And, finally a good, new use for the Convention Center. Maybe free health care clinics will be next. I like the idea of a healthy community, especially when it is mine. Thanks to all of the sponsors--our well-known good corporate citizens.
	Report Comment mayor_maynot, Tulsa (10/5/2009 1:42:19 AM) Sounds good

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.