Poor North Carolinians Treated to Free Dental Care
After an hour’s drive a young woman walked slowly into the
reception area, clutching the right side of her mouth. An infected tooth
caused pain to shoot up into her head. Jenny had endured this for two months
because she couldn’t come up with money needed for the dental insurance
co-pay. It was difficult to study for her GED, and she was forced to survive
on baby food and milkshakes. Shaken to hear her mother’s anguished
screams over the weeks, 10-year-old Brittney hoped the volunteer dentists
at the dental mission could put end to the suffering.
On February 21st, excitement brewed under the nose of Grandfather Mountain
in Boone, North Carolina. Ten dental chairs, equipment and supplies were
set up in Shelter Rock Ministries’ warehouse. Two dentists, two
hygienists, an assistant, four dental students, four nurses, one doctor
and numerous support volunteers, representing Operation Blessing and its’
partner Shelter Rock Ministries, were ready to serve children and adults
needing dental care.
Already a regular volunteer at a free clinic a few hours away in Burlington,
Mary knew the desperate need of Appalachia’s poor. “These
are forgotten people. We need to show them that they are loved.”
During Saturday’s clinic, she happily ushered patients into the
next available dental chair.
Relieving Pain
Three of those patients were Jenny and her family. Dr. Slott pulled two
of her teeth including the one that gave her so much trouble. While still
a little numb, Jenny remembered how challenging it was to grow up in a
home where seven of her 11 siblings had Down syndrome. She looked forward
to finishing her GED and working towards her dream of helping the handicapped
now that she was pain free. As her family left with bags filled with toothpaste,
a toothbrush, mouthwash and a teeth whitening kit, Jenny simply said,
“Thank you.”
Wearing Two Hats
While Jenny was seeing the dentist, Jake and his wife Sharon ran around
making sure the clinic ran smoothly. But if you looked closely, you would
have seen that their mouths were packed with gauze. Between the both of
them, they had gotten six teeth pulled earlier in the morning. Then, they
proceeded to jump out of their chairs and begin working!
The last time Jake saw a dentist was in 1999, and that was the second
time he had ever been to one. The hardworking couple doesn’t have
dental insurance. Sharon was a nurse’s aid for years until three
strokes took that opportunity away, and Jake works in Boone. They are
faithful volunteers at Shelter Rock and were there all day Friday helping
us set the clinic up. They were a part of the team that helped 122 patients
receive free dental care throughout the day on Saturday. After the last
patient had been seen, Jake and Sharon left only when the last piece of
equipment had been loaded onto the truck.
“This was tremendously successful,” commented Shelter Rock’s
Catherine Reese, “There has been no alternative for these people
until now. A miracle occurred today.”
The need for basic dental care in this area continues to be overwhelming.
Plans are underway to hold a second dental clinic in April 2004. Dental
professionals licensed in North Carolina are needed! If you are or know
of somebody who would be interested in helping, please fill out our registration
form!
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