Free Dental Care to be Provided at Two-Day Clinic

GREENVILLE, SC – This weekend, hundreds of dental professionals and lay volunteers will donate their time and talents to provide adults with critical access to dental care services as part of Dental Access Days. The event is hosted by the South Carolina Dental Association and presenting sponsor Delta Dental.

The clinic will be held at the TD Convention Center at 1 Exposition Drive. The hours are:

• Friday, August 21 from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Saturday, August 22 from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm

Dental care will be provided only for adults aged 18 and older. All patients will receive x-rays and will be evaluated by dental professionals in an effort to determine the type of care that is most needed. From there, patients will receive one service – a professional cleaning, an extraction or restorative care (i.e. fillings). Dentures will not be provided.

All patients will be given helpful tips for establishing and maintaining a healthy mouth, along with complimentary dental supplies, including toothpaste, a toothbrush and dental floss.

Care will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients should expect long lines and long wait times. Water will be provided, but food will not, so patients should plan to bring light snacks as well as a portable chair and sun protection to be used until they reach the inside of the building.

Since its inception in 2009, Dental Access Days has provided more than 8,900 adults with $4.5 million in free dental care. Organizers expect to treat more than 1,000 individuals during this year’s event.

“There is a critical lack of dental care in South Carolina,” said Phil Latham, executive director of the South Carolina Dental Association. “Many of the people that we see during Dental Access Days have not had a professional cleaning in years, while others are in pain due to untreated cavities, decay and infections. Thanks to hundreds of dedicated volunteers and our sponsors, we will be able to give many people a new smile this weekend.”

“As a nonprofit organization, our company has a social mission to improve oral health in the communities we serve,” said Spann Laffitte, vice president of sales and account management for Delta Dental. “That’s why we are happy to lend our support to Dental Access Days. We know that good oral health can lead to improvements in the overall health of our fellow citizens.”

For more information on Dental Access Days, visit the South Carolina Dental Association website at www.scda.org.

For more information on Delta Dental, call 1-800-529-3268 or visit www.deltadentalsc.com.