Mission of Mercy (MOM) is an independent non-profit community organization that contributes free health care, dental care and prescription medications to the uninsured, the under-insured patients and to individuals who have difficulty affording dental care. In Oregon, the 2010 Mission of Mercy (OrMOM) event was the first held on the west coast. This annual event serves adults and children without any medically compromising condition that would prohibit them from receiving dental care.
Due to on-site registration for service and treatment being on a first-come, first-serve basis, patients begin waiting in line at midnight. During their turn, patients need to fill out and sign a health and release form and wait until their turn for initial screening. The volunteer dentists then determine what procedures are required for each patient. Hereafter, based on the patient’s chief complaint, escort volunteers take them for the treatment to either the x-rays, cleaning, extraction, restorative or prosthodontic departments.
As I arrived outside of the Oregon Convention Center, a calm, dark morning was waiting for the sun to rise at 5:30 am in the morning. Entering the treatment area, the hustle of volunteers and patients turned my idea of volunteering into reality. I was excited to serve people, as it was my first experience at a state level dental event on such a large scale. I was assisting various departments as per their need depending on my shifts assigned at the event.
During one of my volunteer shifts in the restorative department as a dental assistant, a 62-year female patient who had been an opera singer in the past came for multiple fillings including her upper anterior teeth. At the beginning of the treatment, she shared her previous constructive experience at OrMOM and her words revealed her gratification that had brought her again to this event. I was assisting a volunteer dentist, Dr. Weliky, and the patient’s restorative work made her smile like a model in a toothpaste advertisement. When I handed her a mirror after completion of the treatment, she suddenly stood up to take us on a journey to her past she had left years ago. She sung an exceptional opera song for us in an appreciation. Her lovely voice turned the convention center into an opera house. The few minutes of song passed and a huge round of applause from surrounding people brought my mind back to the convention center. She made me feel like a hero for devoting time and skills to improve her speech and smile. This was one of the best moments that I have come across in my throughout journey of volunteering experiences.
I feel lucky to have the opportunity to have been a part of the Oregon Mission of Mercy (OrMOM) in 2015 and deliver care to the underserved population of my state. It takes countless efforts and commitment from committee members, volunteers and management to organize and successfully accomplish a state level dental event. The rewards from the patients make all this worthwhile and the smiles after their treatment are worth a million dollars, inspiring me to make service to my community a lifelong endeavor.
Not only have events such as OrMOM helped me to gain insights in serving my community but also have given me the chance to build a network with my local dental community. The reason for spreading my words in this blog to my predental colleagues is that I believe this type of experience sculpts us and motivates us to be more empathetic and compassionate dentists in the future.
~Krunali Kapadia, predental
Have you participated in an inspiring service event? Tell us about it in the comments below!