Hundreds Line Up for Free Dental Clinic in Waterloo
By Dave Franzman, Reporter
Dentists perform oral surgery on patients in the curtained area in Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, Iowa, Friday, Oct. 3, 2008. The Mission of Mercy clinic offered free dental work for the uninsured. Event organizers expected hundreds of patients during the two-day event. (AP Photo, The Waterloo Courier/ Matthew Putney)
By
Dave Franzman
Story Created:
Oct 3, 2008 at 3:02 PM CST
Story Updated:
Oct 3, 2008 at 5:11 PM CST
WATERLOO - Patients lined up for hours on Friday to get into a temporary dental clinic set up at a Waterloo convention Center. And there was no mystery about the reason why. Volunteers were offering free dental care to any and all patients.
Organizers say same some camped in cars overnight at the Five Sullivan Brothers Center just to make sure they could get in and get the free dental treatment.
Felicia Flurh, who was getting a free partial plate, said "I didn't have the money to pay for it and without this program I would never had got one--I'm glad and now I'll have a tooth."
The Des Moines-based Iowa Mission of Mercy group organized what could best be described as a kind of MASH unit for dental care. About 800 volunteers, about half dentists, assistants or hygienists, provided the care. All involved filled cavities, cleaned teeth, shuttled patients or performed other chores in a synchronized ballet of mass care. The activity filled the main floor at Waterloo's largest convention center.
One organizer, Dr. Dick Hettinger, said "the people who are here volunteering--you walk around they're all smiling they're having a good time helping somebody else."
Organizers expect to see about 2,000 patients in two days. For those who couldn't afford the care at home, the wait was worth it.
One patient, Dan Zimmer, said "they said you're going to wait in line and I have waited in line but I appreciate I'll get this done for free."
That free dental clinic at the Five Sullivan Brothers Center in Waterloo will continue on Saturday. The hours at 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Iowa organizers say this is the first such free clinic in Iowa, although the national group has organized similar events in other states. They hope to do another free clinic somewhere in central Iowa next year.
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