From cleanings to extractions, free dental clinic offered this weekend in Flint

FLINT, MI – Whether it’s a toothache, a routine cleaning, a cavity or a tooth that needs extracting, the volunteer dentists at the Mission of Mercy Michigan Dental Association Foundation will help take care of it in this free dental clinic.

More than 1,200 volunteers during the two-day clinic taking place Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15 at the Dort Financial Center, 3501 Lapeer Road in Flint, will provide service to those seeking dental care.

Dr. James Lee, a dentist with his own practice in Ann Arbor, Lee’s Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, was among the volunteers Friday.

“It’s a very personal service and you can make a significant impact on people’s lives,” said Lee, a Flint native.

Lee has hosted a free dental clinic every year for 26 years on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Using his profession to give back to his community is a privilege he is happy to offer.

Related: Free smiles: Flint area residents will receive dental care this summer

There are areas for people to undergo dental work, a localized anesthesia area, a cardiologist for people undergoing physicals, and an x-ray lab at the Flint clinic.

Another service the clinic can provide is making custom fins. A flipper is a partial denture that replaces the area where the patient is missing a tooth.

No plating or cosmetic cases will be provided.

“Some of these patients are getting $5,000 to $6,000 jobs here,” said Margaret Gingrich, president of the clinic’s dental office.

Ashley Andrews, of Fenton, brought her son Collin to the clinic Friday.

Even though Andrews has dental insurance for cavities and fillings, her insurance would not cover them.

Andrews, who heard about the clinic on the radio, is grateful for the service provided and appreciates dentists who give back to their community.

This is the fifth event hosted by the Mission of Mercy Michigan Dental Association Foundation, with each event taking approximately two years of planning to coordinate.

The estimated amount of resources needed to create the Flint Clinic was more than $350,000. The organization originally chose Flint in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic put paid to those plans.

At the time of publication, approximately 330 patients have received care.

The free clinic continues on Saturday, June 15, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Individuals do not need to register or bring identification, but are encouraged to show up early in the day.

Deadline for entry is approximately 4 p.m.

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