LETTER: Charity Care Is No Long-Term Solution For Dental Care

Dear Editor:
The Minnesota Dental Association and the Minnesota Dental Foundation recently hosted its first Mission of Mercy event in Mankato, resulting in over 2,000 patient visits. I was proud to be one of 1,367 volunteers who helped provide $1.3 million in free dental treatment on Aug. 17 and 18.

The Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato was transformed into a massive temporary dental clinic where dental professionals from across the state, along with lay community and corporate volunteers, worked tirelessly for two days to deliver free dental care to patients who face insurmountable barriers to dental care.

The clinic focused on providing immediate care to patients with dental pain and infection, resulting in 1,489 fillings, 1,307 extractions, and 111 partial dentures, along with hundreds of cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments.

The weekend was filled with remarkable examples of patients who have difficulty obtaining dental care on a daily basis, so who stood in line for hours to receive the free treatment. I helped 12 patients with fillings, giving them back their self-confidence when they couldn't smile.

While I am pleased to have been part of this extraordinary effort by so many generous volunteers, charity care is not a long-term solution to the access to care problem in our state. I urge lawmakers to work on bi-partisan solutions that will reduce the barriers to dental care faced by this under served population.

Sincerely,

Dr. Krista Geisler
in Plymouth