By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation free dental clinic — the Kansas Mission of Mercy — is accepting applications for volunteers and registering children for treatment for its event March 25 and 26 in Hays.
Patients do not have to show proof of income, residence or insurance or have dental records available.
Doors will open for patient registration at 5:30 a.m. each day at the Ellis County Fairgrounds.
The event hopes to serve up to 500 people over the two days of the event. The Mission of Mercy usually draws people from across the region, and organizers are expecting patients from as far as Colorado and Nebraska.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask in the building regardless of COVID vaccination status.
Care for children
Services for adults will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, pre-registration is being accepted for children. Local school nurses have this information.
Parents and guardians can also access the link directly at https://kmomkids.as.me/schedule.php
Children ages 1 to 13 are granted the special privilege to schedule an “arrival time” at the clinic with a pediatric specialist. This "arrival time" does not guarantee they will be seen at that exact time, but it will limit their waiting time for treatment. Appointments are limited.
A parent or legal guardian must bring the child and be present with the child at all times. If you are a parent or guardian and require dental treatment for yourself, please plan to come at another time, other than your child's assigned arrival time, according to the event's website.
How to volunteer
The event will need about 500 volunteers. Although dentists, hygienists and other health care professionals will be donating their time at the event, the event also needs a large number of lay volunteers.
These positions include escorts for dental patients, people to assist with registration, serving meals, and set up and tear down, among other duties.
Some people will be volunteering with groups, which can be noted on the online registration form. Individuals can also register online and will be assigned where they are needed.
If you previously registered to volunteer for event for February, you will need to register again for the March dates. To register, visit the Kansas Charitable Dental Foundation website.
Dental care
Between 25 and 35 dentists will volunteer at the event.
Hays dentist Jarrod Jones has volunteered for the free dental clinic in the past and will offer dental services again at the clinic in Hays.
Jones said this is a great help for people who don't have dental insurance.
"A lot of them get the health care that they either can't afford or haven't been able to obtain. It helps to get things in good shape," he said.
It's not just dentistry. Other health care providers will be on hand to help screen patients. Those screenings sometimes identify other health issues patients are unaware they have.
KMOM offers dental procedures such as fillings, cleanings, root canals and extractions.
Jones said he has seen advanced dental issues in patients at the free clinics.
"You look in their mouth, and it's a gateway to their overall health," he said. "There are some unfortunate stories behind how they get to the event."
Jones said being a part of the dental clinic is a great way to give back to the community and the state.
Benefit to the community
Janet Kuhn, Hays convention sales manager, said the event will have a significant financial impact on Hays.
The dental foundation raised about $160,000 to stage this year's event in Hays, including $50,000 donated by the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation. Much of that $160,000 will be spent in Hays on items including food, T-shirts and a variety of other services.
Rent for the fairground buildings also stays in the county.
The dental clinic will draw dental professionals and other volunteers from across the region, many of whom will be staying in Hays hotels.
Hays has been courting the Mission of Mercy for almost two decades, but the organization insisted Hays did not have a location big enough to stage the event.
The clinic has been scaled back this year due to COVID, which allowed Hays to be in the running for the event. This is the first time the Mission of Mercy has been staged in northwest Kansas.
Key facts for patients
- Patients should continue taking any prescription medication as directed so bring it along, so a dose is not missed should the patient have to wait a good portion of the day.
- The patient will need to fill out a brief health history so bring a list of allergies, prescriptions, etc. to have this information available.
- Patients do not need to bring dental records or proof of income.
- Services are first come, first served and all adult patients must be able to wait in line – no appointments.
- The
doors will open for patient registration at 5:30 a.m. on both Friday
and Saturday (March 25-26) and waiting in line or determining how early to
get in line, is up to the patient.
- Parking is limited so there may be no preferential parking for handicapped patients.
- The event only lets in as many patients as it will be able to treat that day and officials will then close the doors. Standing in line on Friday and not getting in does not give the patient priority the next day. It is the same process on Saturday – first come, first served.
- Be prepared to wait and potentially be there all day. Even though a patient might arrive early in the morning, it could be mid-afternoon before the patient is treated.
- A sack breakfast and lunch will be provided for the patients at no cost to them. Patients with diabetes or anyone else who may require an alternative diet should bring food with them.
- After an X-ray and medical screening, the patient will be examined by a dentist and the patient’s greatest need will be treated. For example, if a patient needs extractions and fillings, the greatest need (probably the extractions) will be treated. The patient does have the option to come back Saturday to get the fillings, but they must wait in line again like everybody else. No line priority is given.
- There is no sedation or nitrous oxide used at this event. The patient will be numbed in the area of the procedure being done using an injectable numbing agent.
- No dentures or implants will be provided.
- Full mouth extractions (with the exception of wisdom teeth) will be done if determined necessary by the examining dentist. The patient will be able to discuss treatment/procedure options with the dentist prior to care.
- The event typically has as many volunteers as need registered prior to the event. Therefore, volunteering will not give priority or access to treatment. Registered volunteers who wish to be treated need to manage their schedule, so they can wait in line for treatment.
- Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times.
- After treatment, patients will be provided a phone number to call for follow up emergency care if they experience any problems regarding the treatment received.
- Even though safe and effective coronavirus vaccines have been widely distributed, the organizers of the Kansas Mission of Mercy ask that if are sick or feeling like you are getting sick, please stay home.