Free adult dental clinic set for June
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
A free adult dental clinic will visit the Alleghany High School gym on June 6 and 7.
The clinic, thought to be the first of its kind to come to the county, is a collaborative project supported by Alleghany CARES (Christians Associated for Relief and Emergency Services) and Alleghany Memorial Hospital and other community agencies.
The two-day, Friday and Saturday clinic will be brought to the county by N.C. Missions of Mercy, the open door dental clinic of Alamance County. The clinic has brought free dentistry to several surrounding areas in recent years, including Elkin and Yadkinville.
While there is no cost for the dental care, the clinic will only be able to assist a limited number of people, said CARES Director Vickie Scott. "We're expecting to be able to serve about 150 people per day," she noted. "The goal is to serve Alleghany residents first, but we won't turn anyone away."
Scott said flyers have already been sent out to the Alleghany Department of Social Services, the Solid Rock Food Closet, Alleghany Health Department and other locations. "We already have close to 200 people who've said they are interested," Scott commented. "We want to make sure we help everyone that we can."
Patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the two-day event. Those who sign in will be given numbers, which then will be called one at a time until the end of the day.
Care will be limited to fillings, extractions and cleanings, said Scott.
Financial considerations are also part of the process, but Scott said the limits are very generous. For a single person, the income limit would be a little over $26,000, she said, while the income limit for a family of four is around $54,000. More exact figures on income limits will be released closer to the clinic date. Those who already have dental insurance are not eligible for the clinic.
"From the desire of the board of directors, CARES began the initiative to search how to get more dental care for the residents of Alleghany," Scott said. "A group of people representing the county have been meeting to examine those issues.
"The number one concern is for education," added Scott. "From that we began by purchasing education kits for the pre-schools and day cares in the county.
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