This past Friday and Saturday, the 4th annual Iowa Mission of Mercy was held in Sioux City. If you're not familiar with it, IMOM, as it's called, is a two day free dental clinic that travels to a different city each fall to help serve people in need of dental care.
Typically around 100 dentists participate along with another 100 or so dental assistants, about 40 hygienists and hundreds of lay volunteers. Roughly 1500 patients receive care over the two days.
This year was the farthest we have had to travel for an IMOM (previously it was held in Waterloo, Newton and Cedar Rapids), but strangely, there were far more volunteers from Iowa Falls than ever before. There were over 20 people from our little town who traveled nearly 200 miles to help people they did not know.My experience started at 5:30 am Friday, when we arrived at the arena to hundreds of soon to be patients waiting. By 7:00 we were seeing patients. I knew it was going to be a good day when I finished my first patient and got a big smile and a hug. Throughout the day people filed in and out and all were extremely grateful for the work they received. I worked until 3:30 when things were winding down. In talking with my patients I found that they all worked, but none had insurance and they could not afford dental care.
I always come away from IMOM feeling good that I've helped some people who were in great need of the skills I have. However, I also feel really bad that there are people out there with this kind of need all the time and we are only doing this one weekend a year. I was able to fix a few bad teeth on the patients I saw, but most of them had five or six more teeth just as bad. I've been thinking about what else I could do. Although I know I'm not responsible for every person in Iowa Falls who can't afford dental care, I feel like I could do more. So, look for future blogs and Facebook posts about my ideas and plans to help the less fortunate here in Iowa Falls with their dental care needs.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving and be thankful for all you have, even the dental work you hate to receive.
Dr. Brad
A family dentist plays a very important role in the life of a family. It is imperative, however, that you have one. The absence of a family dentist is definitely a big loss for all the members of the family.
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Thanks for sharing such interesting information on your blog. That's a great way to provide dental treatment in surrounding areas. Our dentist in Waterloo are committed to providing you and your family with the very best in Cosmetic, General and Family dentistry.
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