WICOMICO, Co., MD- The Wicomico Youth and Civic Center buzzed with activity this morning as volunteers prepared for the return of the Eastern Shore Mission of Mercy. The free dental clinic, which has been on a five-year hiatus, is back to serve hundreds of people in need of dental care.
Mission of Mercy runs Friday and Saturday from 7am-4pm, and is open to everyone over the age of 18. This dental clinic is first come first serve, so many people are planning to get in line hours before the event begins.
The clinic is expecting to treat around 1,500 patients over the two-day event, though volunteer coordinator Sue Simmons acknowledged that not everyone might get treated due to the high demand.
"Our clinic capacity is around 450 to 500 patients. If we have a thousand people in line, we aren't going to get to all these folks in a day," Simmons said.
While the wait times may be long, volunteers emphasized the importance of providing this crucial care to those who cannot afford dental services.
"Free isn't really free if we value our time, But for those experiencing pain and without access to dental services, it's worth the wait."
Stephanie and Bob Gray, long-time volunteers, have been with the Mission of Mercy 23 times and said helping others brings them great joy.
"The people who come through the doors are in such desperate need of dental care—some of them haven’t seen a dentist at all—and to see them walk out of here with smiles... I carry tissues in my pocket. It's just so rewarding," Stephanie Gray said.
The Mission of Mercy is committed to providing much-needed dental care, one patient—and one smile—at a time.
