More than 100 dentists to provide free care at weekend clinic

Dental care is costly, and when patients don’t have dental insurance or have limited income, they’re not able to have their teeth taken care of, said Daniel Pituch, chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at UPMC Mercy and UPMC Shadyside.

UPMC Shadyside and UPMC Presbyterian receive more than 3,000 emergency room visits per year for dental-related problems, he said. But the ER is not equipped to provide traditional dental treatment. After receiving pain medication and a dental referral, patients often don’t follow up because of the expense.

On Friday and Saturday, Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh will host its largest free dental clinic yet at PPG Paints Arena. On hand will be 1,151 volunteers, including 125 dentists, providing restorative fillings, cleanings, root canals and oral surgery for the more than 1,000 people expected to attend. This is the third year for the free clinic, the second run by Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh.

The event is open to anyone age 2 and older on a first-come, firstserved basis. There are no income or eligibility requirements. Doors open at 6 a.m. and the clinic begins at 7 a.m. on both days. It concludes at 4 p.m. or whenever capacity is reached.

“Thesetypes of events are critical in terms of making change and closing gaps where the government and other programs fall short,” said Dr. Pituch, who is also a chair of Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh. “It’s a great example of the whole communitycoming together.”

At last year’s clinic, 3,500 procedures were performed on 885 patients, 78 percent of whom did not have dental insurance. Approximately $600,000 worth of services were donated in the two days.

“It came at the perfect time for me,” said Amy Marsh, of Arlington, who had a painful cavity

treated at the free clinic last year. A couple of months before the clinic, Ms. Marsh got a root canal for the cavity but could not afford to have it capped. Eating had become painful. The dentist was able to remove the decayed tooth.

“You really can’t pass up free dental care,” said Ms. Marsh, who will attend the clinic again this year and bringfriends who don’t have dental insurance. “The first thing people see is your face. And when you smile, they seeyour teeth.”

“Oral health is very critical to overall health,” said Dr.Pituch, noting that bacteria can travel from the mouth into the bloodstream and cause other health issues.

Because crowds last year were larger than expected, some patients had to be turned away, he said. That’s one of the reasons the event has been expanded this year.

He encourages people to arrive early to maximize their chance of getting treated. Patients requiring a prosthesis to replace missing teeth should plan on coming Friday morning so their devices can be delivered by Saturday.

People attending the clinic can expect the following sequence of events, Dr. Pituch said.

First, patients will receive a medical triage to ensure they are stable enough for care. This will be followed by a dental triage and radiology, including a series of X-rays and exams, to determine a list of dental problems that require fixing. The patient will then be routed to different dentistry sections based on the individual’s needs.

After treatment, they will go to the pharmacy section, where medications prescribed by the dentist will be provided free onsite. Finally, patients will go through an exit interview at which they will be provided a follow-up sheet with a phone number to call 24/7 if they have questions or problems. There will be a special section for veterans.

“We should be very proud of our city,” Dr. Pituch said, for pulling this clinic together and providing the financial and human resources needed. “This is a national problem being solved at the community level.”