11/11/2023 0 Comments Wise dental care![]() The MOM clinics and other foundation programs help to bridge those gaps. “This is often a last stop for them, the only way to access care,” says Tara Quinn, the foundation’s executive director.ĭental issues can have a negative impact on overall health and well-being: Oral pain can be overwhelming and debilitating, making it hard to concentrate in class or at work, and can affect overall health. Dickinson notes that the MOM program has provided care to 65,000 people over the years, about $45 million in free dentistry. Many people who have coverage may still be unable to afford care because of high deductibles or their plans only cover half the cost of a procedure such as a root canal or crown. Less than half of Virginians have dental insurance. The Virginia Dental Association’s executive director, Terry Dickinson, founded the project, and has participated yearly. He notes that many people are unable to access care because they are disabled, lack transportation or can’t afford dental services. Services are provided by dentists, hygienists and students, while other volunteers help run the event. Other health services are still being provided this year at the fairgrounds. Previous locations have included an airplane hangar and a fairgrounds. This is the first year it’s been indoors, at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise campus at the Prior Convocation Center. The clinic is open Friday through Sunday. The program is a project of the Richmond-based Virginia Dental Association Foundation. It’s the 19th time this clinic, Mission of Mercy (MOM), has been offered in Wise, and it marks 100 such trips overall across the state. It’s a chance for an estimated 1,100 to 1,200 individuals who could otherwise not afford dental care to have procedures ranging from everyday cleanings to dental surgery under sedation, all at no cost. The largest dental clinic in Virginia can be found this weekend in Southwest Virginia coal country, in Wise. ![]() A previous Mission of Mercy event (Photo courtesy Virginia Dental Association Foundation) ![]()
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