DentaQuest’s Pat Finnerty, Lauren Overton and Ellen Rattey participated in a free dental care clinic hosted by the Georgia Dental Association’s (GDA) Georgia Mission of Mercy (GMOM) program on June 14 and 15 at the North Atlanta Trade Center in Norcross, Ga. The two-day event was made possible through several supporters, including a grant from DentaQuest Foundation’s Community Response Fund.
“The DentaQuest Foundation is proud to be a supporter of the second Georgia Mission of Mercy clinic to help bring attention to the oral health needs of Georgians,” said Dr. Michael Monopoli, Director of Policy and Programs of the DentaQuest Foundation. “Often safety net dental programs require additional resources to meet the immediate needs of communities struggling to improve oral health. Georgia Dental Association’s clinic is an excellent opportunity for local advocates to demonstrate and communicate the need for improvements to the oral health care system in their state.”
GMOM provided free access to dental care for 2,000 low- and no-income adults, while placing a high priority on patients suffering from dental infections or pain. Through GMOM, the GDA educated patients and family members in attendance about the importance of obtaining and maintaining optimal oral health, raised awareness of the increasing difficulty low-income Georgia adults face in accessing critical dental care, and challenged patients, policymakers, and dental professionals to work together to improve the oral health of those who have been promised care by the state.
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DentaQuest Foundation’s Community Response Fund was established in 2012 to support urgent requests for specific equipment or staff that are necessary to preserve clinical capacity to provide services in safety net clinics or community programs, such as GMOM. Organizations interested in seeking funding support for a Missions of Mercy clinic must provide a robust plan to increase awareness among policy makers and the public of the need for longer-term solutions to access to care problems. For more information please visit http://www.dentaquestfoundation.org/programs/community-response-fund.
About the DentaQuest Foundation
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The DentaQuest Foundation is a national philanthropy focused on improving the oral health of all. The DentaQuest Foundation invests in national and community-based initiatives that engage communities to create conditions for optimal oral health through support of prevention and access to oral health care, and through partnerships with funders, policy makers, and community leaders. For more information, please visit www.dentaquestfoundation.org.
The DentaQuest Foundation is supported by DentaQuest. DentaQuest is a leading oral health company, administering prevention-focused dental benefits to 18 million individuals across the United States. Learn more about DentaQuest at www.dentaquest.com.
About the Georgia Mission of Mercy (GMOM)
The Georgia Dental Association House of Delegates established Georgia Mission of Mercy (GMOM) in January 2010. The goals of the event are to provide free access to dental care to low- and no-income adults while placing a high priority on patients suffering from dental infections or pain; educate patients and family members in attendance about the importance of obtaining and maintaining optimal oral health; raise awareness of the increasing difficulty low-income Georgia adults face in accessing critical dental care; and challenge patients, policymakers, and dental professionals to work together to improve the oral health of those who have been promised care by the state. For more information, visit http://www.gadental.org/mission-of-mercy.html.
