More than 3,000 children and adults in Wisconsin received $1.75 million in dental care during last week's Wisconsin Dental Association (WDA) Foundation Mission of Mercy (MOM) event.
The event, held June 29 and 30 in Madison, was the largest charitable dental clinic ever staged in the U.S., according to the WDA.
The first patient arrived 21 hours in advance and slept in a lawn chair overnight outside the clinic entrance, the WDA noted. Patients included 31 Special Olympics Wisconsin athletes, three of whom visited the MOM event both days to have their extensive dental needs addressed.
A total 13,114 dental procedures were performed, including 2,567 fillings, 2,822 teeth extracted, 1,205 cleanings, and 80 root canals. Several dental labs worked with volunteer technicians to create 153 partial dentures.
Among the estimated 1,810 volunteers from 222 Wisconsin communities were some 395 dentists, along with dental hygienists and assistants; Marquette University School of Dentistry students; Spanish, Hmong, and American Sign Language translators; and general helpers.
Major financial and support was provided by Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Henry Schein, Meriter Health Services, Patterson Dental, the Tellier Foundation, Alliant Energy Center, Epic medical software, the Dane County Dental Society, and Group One Marketing.
More than 100 organizations and individuals made tax-deductible financial and in-kind donations to help cover $250,000 in costs for dental equipment and other supplies.
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