Dallas Texas Mission of Mercy

www.tdasf.org

Every Texas Mission of Mercy seems to have its one compelling and memorable patient. The event held February 16-17 at Mountainview Community College had Mrs. Jackson. The patients’ entrance opened around 6am, and at 6:30, a lady was walking the hallway completely distraught. She was crying, sobbing actually, and she explained that she had tried to access our services in the 2005 TMOM held at The Science Place. We were able to treat her grandchildren in 2005, but not her. 

She pulled out an envelope which was worn and well-handled, and it had all the words a patient would have leading up to a TMOM, phrases such as ‘Texas Dentists for Healthy Smiles’, ‘The Science Place’, and ‘Texas Mission of Mercy’. She was unable to smile out of embarrassment, spit every time she spoke, and was unable to find employment due to her socially unacceptable smile. Her grandson had never seen her smile. She displayed the problem - #8 was decayed/broken at the free gingival margin. She did not have an appointment, and was told that all of our patient slots were filled.  She knew that another two years would pass before she could receive treament.  Sobbing.

We were able to get Mrs. Jackson into the system, and a few hours passed. As she was leaving, I asked if everything turned out to her expectations.  She started sobbing again, but this time out of joy. She proudly displayed her new smile, a beautiful flipper fabricated by Griffin Dental Lab. She was treated for free, along with 928 other patients, in the largest 30 chair, 2 day TMOM on record. She hugged me, said “God bless you”, and melded back into the South Dallas neighborhood. Her gratitude exemplified the reason why over 400 volunteers gave anywhere from a few hours to a few days to bring a little health and comfort to strangers.

Made possible by grants from The Pogue Foundation, The Baylor Oral Health Foundation, The Simmons Foundation, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, and Dallas Rotary, Dr. Moody Alexander (Chairman) and his band of volunteers produced an event which far exceeded the goal of 700 patients. The total financial impact was slightly more than $283,000.

The entire TMOM committee expresses its sincerest thanks to the other individuals and entities which made this tremendous event a success, namely Rep. Roberto Alonzo (Honorary Chairman), Mountainview Community College, Sullivan-Schein Dental, Subway, Carnival Stores, Pepsico/Frito-Lay, Structures and Interiors, Patterson Dental, Benco Dental, and Starbucks. We greatly appreciate Baylor College of Dentistry TAMHSC for its recare generosity and the many dental students which served tirelessly during treatment and in the breakdown efforts. We also thank the UT Houston Dental Branch for use of their van and its accompanying 2 dozen dental students – we appreciate you spending your weekend in Dallas.

Your Dallas County Dental Society served inspirationally as host society, led by Executive Director Jane Evans and her entire staff of Paula McDearmon, Maxine Robinson, Alyson Ricardi, and Julie Bolton.  Finally, an often overlooked ‘thank you’ goes to the TDA Smiles Foundation and its Chairman, Dr. Richard Smith of Amarillo. Without him and the entire TDASF staff (Christine Kutnick, Andrew Robertson, Judith Gonzalez and Sarah Pickens), we would not have a Texas Mission of Mercy program. Their dedication is exemplary, and the citizens of South Dallas will long be grateful for their devotion.