Local dentists bring smiles to uninsured Iowans
Mission of Mercy free clinic served more than 1,200 patientsBy EMILIE NELSON, Messenger staff writer
A man stepped away from Dr. Nick Drzycimski's dentist's chair with a boost of confidence, certain that he would be able to get a new job with his sparkling new smile.
While this sounds like a common everyday occurrence for a dentist, this experience was a little different, as the man was one of more than 1,200 patients treated by Drzycimski, of Fort Dodge, and 171 other dentists who donated their time and services at the Iowa Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic, held at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo Oct. 3-4.
"He got up and was so excited with how his new teeth would help him," Drzycimski said.
Mission of Mercy clinics began in Kansas in 2003, and are now held in nine states throughout the country. The Iowa Mission of Mercy clinic was the first to be held in the state, said Dr. Mike Moffitt, a dentist from Eagle Grove who volunteered his services for the event.
The clinic provided diagnosis, X-rays, extractions, root canals, cleanings, fillings and partial dentures to adults and children who come at no cost, regardless of income.
When patients arrived, they were screened in order to determine their most critical dental needs. From the screening area, patients were sent to the area most necessary for their treatment. If patients were in need of procedures requiring anesthesia, they were sent to receive numbing shots before getting in line for treatment. If they were in need of more than one procedure, patients could receive a treatment, and then get in line for the next right away.
"I had someone say that they had been there for 14 hours in order to get the treatments they needed," Moffitt said. "But they said it was worth the wait for a new smile. People lined up as early as 3 a.m. to get in the doors, which opened at 6 a.m."
Moffitt and Drzycimski, as well as Dr. Robert Ronconi, of Fort Dodge, were part of the prosthetic dentistry team, helping to take impressions and work in a lab to construct new partial dentures for patients who may have been missing teeth. All together, the prosthetics team and the 12 dental laboratory technicians constructed 170 sets of partial dentures in just two days, a pricey process that could take up to a week at a dentist's office.
"We were able to provide patients with partials in just a few hours," Ronconi said. "That is something that would normally take a few days."
While all three dentists had donated their services to charitable events before, each believed the Mission of Mercy was well worth the time.
"It was very rewarding," Drzycimski said. "It gives a bigger picture of what dentistry can do for people."
"It takes a lot of people to make this happen," said Moffitt. "It was fun, we received a lot of hugs, and it gave us all a chance to use our abilities to help others."
Other area dentists taking part in the event were Dr. Bruce Cochrane and Dr. Eric Knox, of Fort Dodge, Dr. Larry Swenson, of Manson, and Dr. Duane Smith, of Webster City.
Contact Emilie Nelson at 573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net
|
Anderson
|
|
|---|---|
|
01-06-09 7:26 PM
|
I've "globalized" my care. By going off-shore, work that cost $143 for an estimate of $8,207 got done abroad for $1,910. With $1,000 for transportation, etc, I saved $5,000! Had a series of endoscopies abroad in the doctor's office with the latest fiber optic equipment at $300 each; one here just ran well over $3,000 with anesthetic, procedure room, etc., all unnecessary but for our tort bar and attendant liability problems according to the Doc, who said its now Medicare, the insurance companies and the lawyers who control medical care now, not the patient, doctor and hospital as in the past. So, what IS the biggest rip off in the US, dentistry, procedures like that noted, or hearing aids at $5,500 for 2 (my iMac cost half that!) Of course, socialized medicine will fix all that. Yeah, govt bureaucrats; you bet. As of now, foreigners come here; I go there (paying cash; makes 'em extra happy).
|
|
hybernation
|
|
|
01-03-09 5:53 PM
|
That's nice! my family doesn't have dental ins. because what is offered by my husband's work is real expensive, & doesn't cover very much expense it's almost cheaper to just pay the fee rfor when you have a tooth ache to get the tooth pulled, but some day my husband won't have any teeth because of that, but it's cheaper to pull the teeth then to have fillings put in them when you have numerous fillings that need done.
|
|
scarum
|
|
|
01-03-09 10:23 AM
|
God Bless you all. Wonderful thing you all have done.
|