Clinic brightens smiles with free dental work

BY SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer
Saturday, February 04, 2012
2/04/12 at 7:38 AM

McALESTER - About 1,000 people, many of whom got up before 4 a.m. and drove more than 100 miles, received necessary dental work for free Friday at the third annual Oklahoma Mission of Mercy clinic.

They needed extractions, fillings or cleanings, but most had no health insurance and some hadn't been to a dentist in years.

The clinic will continue from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Another 1,000 patients are expected.

People began lining up for the clinic Wednesday, and organizers had to stop the line from growing early Friday afternoon.

In previous years, clinics have been held in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Organizers have announced that the 2013 clinic will be in Lawton.

Douglas Auld, president of the Oklahoma Dental Association, said the number of people being treated was similar to the past years. About $1 million in services will be performed.

"There are several barriers to care," he said. "And one of them is definitely a financial burden. And the current economy makes it even worse."Oklahoma is last among all states for adults visiting the dentist at least once a year. About 58 percent of Oklahomans do so, compared with about 71 percent nationally, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

More than 90,000 Oklahomans are estimated to live in designated dental health professional shortage areas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. McAlester is in Pittsburg County, which has two such areas. Tulsa has four, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Amber Cooper of Tulsa got up at about 3 a.m. to drive and get in line for the clinic. She had some fillings put in and was expecting to have a few teeth extracted as well.

She stays at home to care for her children and doesn't have any dental insurance. She couldn't afford to go to a dentist for the work she needed done, she said.

"It's definitely a blessing," Cooper said. "I'm very grateful. Everybody has been really sweet. Everybody is really caring."

About 20 students from the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine are among the nearly 1,800 who are volunteering for the event. The students provided initial medical screenings to make sure patients were well enough to go under anesthesia.

Jaye Bea Downs, a second-year medical student, said students often don't have time to do a lot of volunteer work, but the chance to interact with actual patients makes it a good learning experience.

The students left Tulsa at 2:30 a.m. and worked until about noon, seeing more than 840 patients.

"It's nice to come out and see people," Downs said. "And we have learned a lot."

Dennis Anderson, who lives in Hartshorne, had his wisdom teeth pulled and his teeth cleaned. His job doesn't offer dental insurance. He had one young son in tow and has another two children at home.

Tasha Mecher, a student at Tulsa Community College, hadn't seen a dentist in about five years. She needed four fillings and also got her teeth cleaned. She arrived at the clinic just before 5 a.m.

She doesn't have insurance and it would be difficult to find the money to pay for all those procedures out of pocket, she said as she sat up from her cleaning.

"It would be a lot for me to get all this done," she said. "This is really a blessing."

Mission of Mercy free dental clinic

5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Southeast Expo Center, 4500 W. U.S. 270, McAlester

Original Print Headline: Clinic bringing smiles

Shannon Muchmore 918-581-8378
shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Tasha Mecher, 19, of Tulsa gets a free cleaning by Alisha Soule, a dental hygienist in Ponca City, as people flood the Southeast Expo Center in McAlester for free dental work Friday. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

Hundreds flock to McAlester for free dental work Friday. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

Tasha Mecher, 19, of Tulsa hadn't seen a dentist in about five years. She arrived at the clinic just before 5 a.m. and received four fillings and a cleaning for free Friday during the third annual Oklahoma Mission of Mercy clinic. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

Samar Warrior, 4, of Tulsa plays with the dental goggles of dental hygienist Donna Wood, who started the Oklahoma Mission of Mercy project with her husband, Rieger Wood, three years ago. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World