Free dental treatment
There are plenty of options available for those in need
Bedford Bulletin
Thursday, April 22, 2010By Mike Forster The Mission of Mercy free dental clinic was held the weekend of March 27.
With so large a turnout, the event was hosted at the Roanoke Civic Center. More than 1,000 people received free dental care over the two-day affair.
Unfortunately, several hundred people had to be turned away. There was only so much that the volunteer dental staff could do over the weekend.
Prospective clients waited in line overnight, as acceptance was on a first-come, first-served basis. Some who were accepted waited another 12 hours to receive care.
Again, a vast demand can be addressed just so far.
The Mission of Mercy is an annual event. It draws low-income, uninsured and underserved people in need of dental care from all over the Roanoke area, including Bedford.
It is a wonderful opportunity for folks who can’t afford it to get their teeth tended to.
It is not, however, the only option.
“There are actually three permanent long-standing dental clinic options for low-income Bedford city and county residents,” according to Bob Barlow, executive director of the Free Clinic of Central Virginia. The three Barlow cited are: FCCV, the Bedford Health Department and the Bradley Free Clinic, in Roanoke.
The Bedford Health Department confines its services to pediatric dental care (up to age 20). Unfortunately, its dentist, Dr. James Cornick spent his last day with the department a couple of weeks ago. A replacement is being sought out, though.
All three operations see eligible patients by appointment, as often as necessary.
“This is a much better continuity of care model than these one-shot events,” stated Barlow. “They can come back and see the same (volunteer personnel) or paid staff members.”
Unlike the Mission of Mercy, the three entities Barlow cited perform an initial screening to determine financial eligibility before any kind of care can be provided.
“These kind of events may provide some service for those who prefer not to go through an eligibility screening, have not had another opportunity, and/or do not live in a Free Clinic’s service area,” said Barlow, in assessing the worth of the Mission of Mercy.
FCCV and the Bradley Free Clinic offer big-time dental programs.
For example, The Free Clinic of Central Virginia’s Dental Program provides extensive check ups, dental hygiene appointments, restoration (filling of cavities) appointments, and extraction appointments for its clients. It began limited endodontic services last summer.
The FCCV’s dental clinic, which occupies an entire floor of the clinic’s building, is staffed by 60 volunteer dentists filling more than 4,000 appointment slots over the course of a year. Residents of Bedford and Bedford County are welcome to undergo the financial screening to determine eligibility.
So, if you missed out on Mission of Mercy, there are still options available to you.
You don’t have to wait a year, and then wait in line for an evening. Free quality care is available for the asking. One merely need ask.
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