Dentists lent their time and expertise free of charge this weekend to Houstonians who couldn’t afford dental work.
Cassandra Parker was among hundreds of people who received dental work through Texas Mission of Mercy this weekend.
"My blood pressure was high when I got here because I was so excited," Parker said. "I had to calm down and take my blood pressure pill."
Parker, who heard about the event though televison station KTXH UPN, received tooth extractions Saturday.
At TMOM, a two-day charity event, dental students, pre-dental students, hygienists and dental assistants also participated in providing their assistance from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and Saturday at Boys and Girls Club of America, 8575 Pitner Road.
TMOM did its first dental charity in 2001 and since then has organized between two and four a year. This year marks the 15th TMOM event and the first time the organization has held the even in Houston. The Methodist Hospital System served as the event’s primary sponsor.
Craig Armstrong, from the Greater Houston Dental Society, has been a dentist for 18 years, and this weekend marked his fifth time participating in TMOM.
"We’re doing as much as we can in 30 to 45 minutes," Armstrong said. "We’re doing things that would cost them hundreds and hundreds of dollars to do on the outside."
Within the two-day span Armstrong worked on about 60 patients, performing everything from wisdom tooth extractions, cosmetic fillings on the front teeth, fillings on the molars and baby teeth extractions on children.
"I don’t get paid for this, but the payment I do receive is the gratitude that the patients show me when they’re done and the smile on their face," Armstrong said. "Some of the best rewards (dentists) get are helping people.
For Marc Woodward, senior minister at West University United Methodist Church and co-chair person of TMOM putting together these kinds of charity events is essential for the commnity.
"I think there’s so much credibility to this because you actually get to see helping people," Woodward said. "It’s so practical, and it’s so immediate you know at the end of the day you’ve done something pretty decent."
Pre-dental students were able to get experience with chair side dental assisting, learning about American Dental Association coding and working with doctors doing the diagnosis in the triage areas.
For the smaller children, there was an educational department with modules to help provide nutrition and good oral health habits.
Andrew Robertson from the Texas Dental Association Smile Staff said they had about 95 dentists participating in TMOM with a total of 35 operating stations availble.
Richard Smith, the chairman of Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation, helps organize the event by getting other dentists involved.
"Most of the patients are extremely appreciative because they have no access care," Smith said. "Our main goal is to get people out of pain and to prevent pain, and in some limited cases, to replace missing front teeth."
About half of the patients here found out about the event through walk-ins. On Friday, 420 patients were treated and the dentists performed about $175,000 worth of care.
"Most of the pre-dental students are assisting the dentists, and it’s great way for them to see what the profession they want to get into is all about," Smith said.
Members of the UH American Student Dental Association Pre-Dental Society contributed this weekend by performing an array of tasks from screening patients to sterilizing the tools and assisting the dentists in educating patients about oral health care.
For biology senior and secretary of the UH Pre-Dental Society Jonathan Aguilar, getting the chance to learn more about dentistry through this community event was a rewarding experience.
"(The experience) helps a student grasp all the aspects of going into dentistry and has opened my eyes to the severity of the need of people to help of the community." Aguilar said.
Hygienist Stephanie Bass, a hygienist of 14 years and first-time TMOM participant, contributed to TMOM on behalf of Greater Houston Dental Hygienist Society.
"It’s absolutely amazing helping these people become able to eat, especially enabling the kids to go to school and not be in pain because maybe they’re having sore gums or maybe they have a lot of build up on their teeth," Bass said. "Making them smile, that’s the most important thing."
Among the other Pre-Dental Societies assisting at the charity event were Texas A’M, Texas Tech and Houston Baptist University In total about 35 dental students and 80 pre-dental students attended the TMOM this weekend.
For Michelle Aguilos, biology and nutrition senior and president of the UH Pre-Dental Society, this weekend was her fifth time participating in TMOM. "They came here because they were in extreme pain. Some of them have been waiting since (Friday) night," Agulios said,
The UH Pre-Dental Society, the first pre-dental group to join efforts with TMOM, has participated in the Texas-based events for more than eight semesters.
"We started this with about 20-30 volunteers," Aguilos said. "We’re here from beginning until end every time and we always show up with at least 50 to 80 people."
For more information about the UH ASDA Pre-Dental Society, visit www.uh.edu/asda
