Transforming Smiles: Minnesota Mission of Mercy Delivers $1.2 Million in Free Dental Care
By Rae Burach
Since 2012, the Minnesota Dental Association has held eight Mission of Mercy events (MnMOM), where hundreds of volunteers gather to provide free dental care to patients in need. This year’s event took place on June 7 and 8 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. It treated 780 patients with $1.2 million worth of dental care.
When doors opened at 5:30 a.m. to begin letting a long line of patients in, volunteers had already been setting up for an hour, as well as the entire day before. Volunteer roles range from dentists, hygienists, and pharmacists to students and general facilitators. Regardless of their background or expertise, they all share the goal of bettering the health of the underserved.
“We want to bring attention to the issue that oral health is as important as any other part of your body,” said MnMOM State Chair Dr. Alejandro M. Aguirre. “The volunteers are the mission and without them- every single one of them- the event would not be possible.”
Dr. Aguirre has been state chair of the event since its inception. He runs the floor during treatment days, which begin in the early morning and end in the evening, or until treatment is complete.
“It is certainly a long few days, but you end [each day] very happy of what the volunteers accomplished and can’t wait to do it again,” Dr. Aguirre said. “The adrenaline is high.”
Patients who seek care at MnMOM are those who don’t have access to dental insurance or affordable care. Depending on their needs, they receive cleanings, fillings, root canals, extractions, or any other necessary treatment.
“The overwhelming response from patients is gratitude,” said Dr. Alan Law. This year’s MnMOM was his third as a volunteer endodontist. “I have had a few patients who cried because they were so thankful to be out of pain and to save a front tooth so they could continue to smile.”
Dr. Law said, while the event can feel like a marathon, the pace is steady, and the sense of unity and service makes it easy to stay energized. Over the two days, 38 root canals were performed in an area dedicated to endodontic treatment.
The dental equipment used at MnMOM is funded by grants or donated by generous partners, including the America’s Dentists Care Foundation who started the Mission of Mercy program throughout the United States, said Dr. Kimberly Lindquist. She has participated in all eight MnMOM events since its inception. This year, she volunteered as a local co-lead.
“I was in charge of making sure everyone had what they needed and that everything ran smoothly,” Dr. Lindquist said. “At other events, I have provided endodontic care and sometimes basic restorative dentistry as well.”
The MnMOM volunteer team is a fine-tuned machine. The event takes about a year to plan, said Dr. Aguirre, so by the time treatment days come around, the focus is entirely on the patients. For volunteers like these, the motivation to save teeth comes naturally.
“Volunteering is ‘in my blood,’” said Dr. Lindquist. “My parents were active volunteers, and it has always been a part of my life. This was just one way I can help the underserved and specifically those with oral pain and infection.”
For Dr. Aguirre, devoting his time to others’ health is a no-brainer. “I consider my volunteer work as important as my paid work,” he said. “If you have pain and infection in your mouth or have a front tooth missing, it derails your life. You cannot function, you are embarrassed, and you may retreat from society. If one person helps another person, we would have many people helping many others.”
The AAE is proud to report that there were 13 members who participated in this year’s MnMOM event (listed below). Additionally, 10% of volunteers were endodontists, which is remarkable given that endodontists make up about only 2.5 % of the dentists in the state of Minnesota. It’s inspiring to see, time and time again, that our specialists are not only talented, but generous enough to share their expertise wherever it’s needed.
Dr. Law shares the same sentiment: “I believe endodontists are among the most giving of their time and other resources. I see this in the number of endodontists who are volunteer educators, donors to the Foundation, and volunteer in community dental clinics and other outreach activities. It is an honor to be part of such a service-oriented specialty.”
The importance of events like MnMOM is crucial, as too many people lack access to affordable dental care. The donation of time by dental professionals and laypeople alike creates a life-changing impact.
“I look forward to the day when these Missions of Mercy are no longer needed,” Dr. Lindquist said. “Until then, I plan to volunteer my time and talents to help out.”
Mission of Mercy events take place across the country and are always in need of licensed professionals. To find an event near you and get involved, visit the America’s Dentists Care Foundation website.
AAE Members at MnMOM:
Dr. Alejandro M. Aguirre, State Chair
Dr. Kim Lindquist, Duluth Local Co-Chair
Dr. Katie Divine, Endodontic Lead
Dr. Cale Strait, Restorative Co-lead
Dr. Mary Ann Bunczak, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Levi Kinsey, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Alan Law, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Brandon Penaz, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Michael Regan Anderson, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Chris Saylor, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Varun Singh, Endodontic Provider
Dr. Eric Grutzner, Dental Triage
Dr. Mark Phillips, Dental Triage