By mid-afternoon on Oct. 17, the line at the state-of-the-art, University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) clinic at the Universities at Shady Grove in Montgomery County, swirled past the end of the receptionists’ desk and continued across the waiting room to the lobby entrance. Its members were waiting patiently to register for a Mission of Mercy (MOM) event that, by day’s end, would provide 83 patients with free dental treatments.
The MOM program provides essential dental care to uninsured and underserved adults who might otherwise go without treatment. Through a partnership between UMSOD and Catholic Charities of Washington, D.C., the Shady Grove clinic offers free extractions and fillings to adults 18 and older who lack access to regular dental care. Now in its third year, the Shady Grove program is held in April and October
Overall, 40 third- and fourth-year dental students and 10 dental hygiene students volunteered their time to provide oral health care, 13 UMSOD faculty members were on hand to provide support and supervision, and 10 University of Maryland School of Nursing students volunteered to help provide medical screenings such as blood pressure checks.
“We were thrilled to collaborate with the University of Maryland School of Nursing, Catholic Charities, and our dental hygiene students. Their contributions were invaluable, making the MOM event a resounding success,” said Halima Karim, DDS, FAGD, FACD, director of clinical services at Shady Grove. “We also appreciated the support of Coaching Salud Holistica, a group of Latina community health workers who provided social, medical, and mental health resources to underserved community members.”
Although Alan Shen, DDS Class of 2027, had volunteered previously at a MOM event as a pre-dental college student, he found the Shady Grove event was both rewarding and illuminating. “I was able to assist with treating different patients and help provide dental care without having to worry about how the patient would pay for the care,” he said.
“I learned that language can be a large barrier to care: Most of my patients during the MOM almost exclusively spoke Spanish. Having translators there helped immensely and showed that without them or without a provider that spoke Spanish, the patient could have trouble finding the best dental care achievable.”
Noting that many of the patients seen that day do not visit a dentist regularly, Ramsay Koury, DMD, clinical assistant professor, Division of General Practice, and Mission of Mercy coordinator, said that the goal of the MOM extended beyond the close of the day.
As the patients’ treatments reached completion, the staff discussed future options for treatment including reduced-fee care provided at Shady Grove. “We’re hoping that now that they have received care here, we also can help them find continuing care,” Koury said.