UConn Health

March 26, 2012 | Christopher DeFrancesco '95 (CLAS) - UConn Health

UConn Students Pitch in at Free Dental Clinic

A UConn contingent including more than 50 dental students volunteered at this year’s Connecticut Mission of Mercy in Danbury.

A patient holds a child on her lap while receiving treatment from second-year dental student Brendan Dolan at the 2012 Connecticut Misson of Mercy on on March 26, 2012. (Photo by Xing Zhu)

A patient holds a child on her lap while receiving treatment from second-year dental student Brendan Dolan at the 2012 Connecticut Misson of Mercy on on March 26, 2012. (Xing Zhu for UConn Health Center)

A patient holds a child on her lap while receiving treatment from second-year dental student Brendan Dolan at the 2012 Connecticut Misson of Mercy on on March 26, 2012. (Photo by Xing Zhu)
A patient holds a child on her lap while receiving treatment from second-year dental student Brendan Dolan at the 2012 Connecticut Misson of Mercy. (Xing Zhu for UConn Health Center)
Dental student Christina Shaw (in white T-shirt) helps care for a patient on March 23, 2012. (Griffin Udelson for UConn Health Center)
Second-year dental student Christina Shaw (in white T-shirt) helps care for a patient. (Griffin Udelson for UConn Health Center)
UConn students take a break between treating patients during the Mission of Mercy free dental clinic in Danbury. (Photographer unknown/UConn Health Center Photo)
From left: Second-year dental students Elana Celliers, Griffin Udelson, Liz Kaminsky, Andrea Browne, Paul Bucking and Mike Gibilisco take a break between treating patients during the Connecticut Mission of Mercy free dental clinic in Danbury. (Photo provided by Andrea Browne for UConn Health Center)

Approximately 2,000 people received free dental care Friday and Saturday at the 2012 Connecticut Mission of Mercy, held this year at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.

Now in its fifth year, the clinic for the uninsured and underserved is staffed by dentists, hygienists, dental residents, students and others who volunteer their time to help people who otherwise would go without dental care.

“I’ve been to every Mission of Mercy held in Connecticut so far, and every year it gets me excited to become a dentist,” Dante Paolino, a first-year student at the UConn School of Dental Medicine. “Hopefully someday access to affordable dental care will be more frequent than an annual event.”

This year UConn sent nearly five dozen dental students, along with a group of medical, nursing, pharmacy, and social work students. Some faculty also volunteered.

The first person in line reportedly had arrived at 1 p.m. Thursday. Doors opened at 6 a.m. Friday. By 1 p.m., the clinic had reached its 1,100-patient capacity.

 

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