Dentists to provide free services

Mission of Mercy 2-day clinic coming to Torrington High School

TORRINGTON — In the true spirit of giving back, about 150 dentists will volunteer their services to provide free dental care Friday and Saturday at Torrington High School.

The 12th annual “Mission of Mercy” in Connecticut is expected to serve about 800 adults and children during the two-day clinic. Doors open at 8 a.m. each day.

The idea for the free dental clinic came from Dr. Bob Schreibman, a now-retired pediatric dentist from Glastonbury. He began planning the project in 2005 and the first clinic was held in 2008. The results are life-changing, he said. Patients who share their stories with Schreibman tell him, “I can smile at my family again,” or “it will be easy to get a job.”

Some patients return each year to receive care.

“It’s become their dental home,” Schreibman said.

Connecticut, despite its number of wealthy residents, still has quite an underserved population, he noted. Insurance, or lack thereof, is a key factor for residents who can’t afford dental care, Schreibman said.

“The working poor do not have dental coverage,” he said.

Dental services available for adults and children at the clinic include cleanings, fillings, extractions, x-rays, fluoride treatments, sealants, root canal treatment on anterior (front) teeth, limited partial dentures and general health screenings.

The demand for the services is so great that organizers encourage patients to arrive several hours before the clinic opens. At past clinics, patients have lined up as early as dawn to make sure they get an appointment for the firstcome, first-served program.

Dr. Michael Lashgari of Torrington, an orthodontist, is volunteering for his first time this year. He and about eight staff members from the office of McKenna Orthodontists will help with logistics at the clinic to make the process run smoothly. Because this is the first time the clinic will be in Torrington, Lashgari wanted to make sure dentists in the region knew about the volunteer opportunity. He reached out to his peers in the Litchfield Dental Society to explain the program and to gather donations.

The Mission of Mercy program operates through contributions both monetarily and from in-kind volunteerism. This year, the budget for the Torrington clinic is roughly $250,000.

Information on contributing can be found at the program’s website at www.ctmom.org or by calling 860-863-5940.

Contributed photo / Mission of Mercy Above, patients are treated by volunteers during a previous Mission of Mercy dental clinic. This year’s free dental outreach will be held at Torrington High School on Friday and Saturday.

Mission of Mercy / Contributed photo About 800 patients will receive free dental care during a two-day outreach tomorrow and Saturday at Torrington High School during the Mission of Mercy clinic.