JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A free dental clinic at the Prime Osborn Convention Center is providing care to as many as 1,800 people today and tomorrow, organizers said.
Hundreds of volunteer dentists with the Florida Dental Association Foundation and the Florida Mission of Mercy opened the clinic at 7 a.m. Friday and will continue through Saturday. Gates at the convention center, 1000 Water St., open at 5 a.m.; doors open at 7 a.m.
The event, billed as the largest charitable dental clinic in Florida, offers a range of services including cleanings, fillings, extractions, partial dentures and care for children. Organizers said they are also treating patients in pain and checking vital signs such as blood pressure.
“Many people come in with pain, and oral health is tied to overall health, including the heart,” said Sarah Hagerty, a dentist with Florida Mission of Mercy. She urged patients to bring any medications and personal supplies they may need while at the clinic.
Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrivals receive tickets and are asked to return at an assigned time to avoid long waits, organizers said. Veterans were among those who were pre-screened and prioritized to be seen early Friday.
Follow-up care is available through volunteer providers on call, and some medications may be supplied when needed, Hagerty said.
The program has operated for 11 years and has returned to Jacksonville for the third time; organizers said next year’s clinic will be in Tallahassee.