The 20th Connecticut Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic (CTMOM) will be happening this weekend, April 17 and 18, at E.O. Smith High School, with doors opening at 7 a.m.
The clinic will serve patients on a first come, first served basis and expects to be able to provide care to around 1,200 people over the two-day event.
It will have around “80 dental stations staffed by 800 volunteers,” according to a CTMOM press release. The clinic will offer a wide range of services such as physical exams, x-rays, tooth cleanings, extractions and fillings, limited root canals on front teeth and premolars, and limited interim partial dentures and repairs, according to the press release.
According to the City of Mansfield Public Schools website, CTMOM is “committed to improving the quality of life for all.”
“Storrs Village in the Town of Mansfield, CT, is well poised to help us extend our mission to as many patients as possible,” according to the City of Mansfield Public Schools website.
Connecticut residents have faced challenges of having reliable dental care, especially in more rural areas like Storrs.
“Challenges such as lack of insurance, limited provider availability, transportation constraints, and financial hardship continue to contribute to health inequities in our region,” Robert Miller, Director of Health of the Eastern Highland Health District, said in the CTMOM press release. “Programs like the CT Mission of Mercy play a critical role by providing high-quality, compassionate dental care to individuals in need.”
CTMOM is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 as a “consortium of individuals from the oral health care sector who sought to collaborate to improve the oral health of the underserved and working poor in Connecticut” according to their website.
The mission statement of CTMOM is “oral health is inseparable from general health and can affect a person’s self-esteem and compromise their ability to work, attend school, and lead a normal life…. Every year, the CTMOM clinic is held in a different location throughout the state,” according to the website.