Dental program returning
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
A program offering free dental care to adults in the county is returning to the Alleghany High School gymnasium for the second time this year.
The second-annual clinic, sponsored by Alleghany CARES (Christians Associated for Relief and Emergency Services), will be held June 12 and 13 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The dentists come to the area through N.C. Missions of Mercy, an Alamance County-based charity that offers short-term clinics in several areas.
The clinic offers dental work such as fillings, extractions and cleanings to those age 18 and over who have no dental insurance and fall below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that means total earnings of less than $44,100.
Those who are on medications are required to bring a list of all of their current prescriptions.
Last year, 237 people were treated at the Alleghany two-day clinic, racking up an estimated $72,939 in free dental care for local residents. Overall, patients received 237 exams, 42 cleanings,124 fillings and 329 extractions. Missions of Mercy had helped 3,137 patients through June of last year, which amounted to $890,000 in free dental care.
In addition to Alleghany residents, the clinic will serve people from Grayson County, Va., and the North Carolina counties of Ashe, Wilkes and Surry.
This year, the preliminary response already has been even greater than the total response last year.
CARES Director Vickie Scott said last week that 400 people already had expressed an interest in advance of the clinic.
"With that in mind, Missions of Mercy went asking for more volunteer staff and they have 60 people coming in," Scott said. "We're scrambling trying to find housing for them."
Even though more people have already expressed interest, the greater number of dental professionals will mean that those seeking aid should still be able to receive it, Scott said.
"We will take more patients on the clinic days on a first-come, first-served basis," Scott said.
Those interested in receiving care may call in advance to register at 372-5959, but even so, everyone should be prepared to wait. Early risers likely will have the shortest wait, Scott said. Staff plans to start processing paperwork at 6 a.m. on the two days of the clinic, with the first patients seen at 8 a.m. Those there earliest will be seen first, she said.
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