Barboursville dental day fixes hundreds of smiles

About 500 patients lined up Saturday for free dental work in Barboursville. Some had gum disease and rotten teeth after financial hardships led to self-neglect.

The first Piedmont Regional Mission of Mercy Dental Day attracted uninsured and under-insured residents from both near and far. Many waited in line for hours, while others slept in their vehicles Friday night to reserve a place in line.

Alisha Henson, a nurse who lives in Albemarle, said one of her teeth had been causing her pain and the surrounding area felt tender. Henson, a mother of five, said she doesn’t have dental insurance and her budget is too tight to fork over well more than $1,000 for teeth repairs.

“When you don’t have health insurance or affordable dental, you just take that risk,” Henson said, adding that she had two wisdom teeth removed, one of which she discovered Saturday had caused an infection.

The newly formed Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic, Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia Dental Association hosted the free clinic.

Some patients had their teeth cleaned, while others underwent oral surgery, such as teeth removal.

Dr. Jack Thompson, vice president of the Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic, said people facing financial hardships often pay less attention to the health of their teeth.

“It’s one of those things that kind of gets put on the back burners,” Thompson said.

Thompson said surgery for some folks on Saturday would lead to life-altering improvements.

About 400 people volunteered for Saturday’s free clinic, including longtime dentists, dental hygienists and VCU School of Dentistry students.

Ashley Edlin, a VCU dental hygiene student, said many of the patients were in much worse shape than some of the more typical patients seen at dentists’ offices. Some had very loose teeth, Edlin said, adding, “We could probably pull them out with our fingers.”

Hygienists topped many patients off by brushing their teeth for them — emphasizing proper methods. Some patients had never been taught how to brush properly, Edlin said. Many had never been to a dentist and were nervous.

VCU dental hygiene student Amy Trn said some patients’ teeth were decayed because of large amounts of soda consumption.

Patients also underwent a basic checkup, in which some discovered they had high blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels or signs of diabetes.

Saturday’s clinic was one of numerous Mission of Mercy clinics that have been held. Dr. Terry Dickinson developed the free clinic in Virginia and more than a dozen states have followed suit.

Patients at Saturday’s clinic were not required to show identification and paid nothing.

Through the Mission of Mercy project, more than 35,000 patients have received dental care that they would have otherwise been unable to afford, according to the Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic.

The quality of the care is the same as what someone would receive at a dentist’s office, Thompson said. One of the most common operations Saturday was removal of irreparable teeth.

A few toothless patients received artificial teeth.

“With no teeth, they can’t talk well. They can’t chew,” Thompson said, adding that some folks missing teeth are self-conscious and cover their mouths when they smile. “We’re changing people’s lives from inside and out.”

Thompson said he hopes the local free clinic will be held annually or at least every two years.

Volunteers did Saturday’s work and private donors covered expenses. The clinic was housed at the Barboursville Volunteer Fire Department.

A free dental clinic had also been held a couple of weeks ago in Louisa County, providing care for 176 people.

Also, the Remote Area Medical clinic in Wise County provides dental, eye, hearing and medical care to thousands of patients per year who cannot afford to pay. The University of Virginia has been a major care provider at the event.