Free Dental Care Event for 2,000 Oregon or Washington Smiles
As I say Free Dental Care for approximately 2,000 people, I also must say this event needs volunteers. It is an incredible gigantic "giving" event and is amazing. It has been performed all over the United States and is just now coming to the Pacific Northwest. Please read to the bottom to either volunteer, involve someone who cannot pay for dental or pass the information on to people who might can help or need help. There are links there to become part of this day.
Dear Portland-area friends and colleagues -
Some of you may have heard about the Oregon Mission of Mercy (OrMOM) clinic that the Oregon Dental Association (i.e. my place of employment) is hosting during Thanksgiving week (11/22-23/10). We are hoping to provide $1 million worth of free dental care to 1,500 - 2,000 patients, on a first-come, first-served basis, in just 2 days in an exhibit hall at the Oregon Convention Center! We are receiving incredible support from the community, including free use of the convention center's space, for this huge endeavor.
While Mission of Mercy events have been held around the country over the past 10 years, this is the first one to come to the West Coast. In total, MOM events across the country have provided nearly $50 million worth of free dental care to over 100,000 patients since 2000.
In order for OrMOM to really be successful, we are going to need an army of volunteers (around 900 or so). That's where, I hope, you come in. We are working with an organization to bring in 100 dental chairs and a couple of dental vans (i.e. the pediatric dentistry department). So, of the 900 or so volunteers, around 400 of them (dentist + assistant/hygienist at each chair/each day) will be dental health professionals. We are anticipating that we'll need another 500 people from the community to help us with every aspect of the operation that does not include actual dentistry. Patients will never be left unattended, so we'll need people to escort them between departments. We'll also need people to get them checked in, hand them their routing information, sign them out and give them gift bags as well as register volunteers, help with data entry, food service, traffic control, etc. There will also be opportunities to help with the clinic set-up and tear-down. Oh, and did I mention that you get a free shirt and food?
So, hopefully you're still reading, and here's the scoop:
Oregon Mission of Mercy
Location: Oregon Convention Center * Portland, OR
Dates/Times:
- Sunday, November 21: clinic set-up (no patients) from 8am - 5pm
- morning shift: 8 - 12:30
- afternoon shift: 12:30 - 5
- Monday & Tuesday, November 22-23: clinic (patients) from 7 am - 5 pm
- morning shift: 6 - 12
- afernoon shift: 12 - 6
- Wednesday, November 24: clinic tear-down (no patients) from 8am - 5 (but probably much earlier than that)
- morning shift: 8 - 12:30
- afternoon shift: 12:30 - 5
More information:
- Volunteer Information
- Online Volunteer Registration
- Patient Information
- OrMOM Facebook page - become a fan!
I would love to see you there. I have heard it is a life-changing experience, but will know more when I volunteer for the Colorado MOM in Colorado Springs later this month. I'll be at OrMOM all four days - during all shifts. It would be great if you could take some time from your busy holiday week and volunteer for one shift. Please share this information with your friends, families and colleagues.
Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Free Dental Care Event for 2,000 Oregon or Washington Smiles
Thanks!!!
Cindy
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