RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Volunteer dentists provided free dental care to nearly 200 patients during a Virginia Special Olympics event on Saturday, June 7.
The 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games took place at the University of Richmond. Alongside the games, the Virginia Dental Association Foundation’s (VDAF) Mission of Mercy (MOM) program held its “Special Smiles” event, offering free dental services.
Over the course of the day, volunteers completed 737 dental procedures for 191 patients. The estimated value of the care provided exceeded $56,000, according to the VDAF.
Volunteers came from the VDAF, Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.
The “Special Smiles” program began in 2011 as part of the VDAF MOM’s partnership with Special Olympics Virginia. This partnership aims to help people with disabilities gain better access to dental care.
“Special Olympics Virginia supports Healthy Athletes and Healthy Communities for individuals with disabilities,” the VDAF said in a press release. “Individuals with intellectual disabilities often face more barriers to healthcare compared to the general population. Inclusive health is a core goal of Special Olympics Virginia.”
The Mission of Mercy program focuses on providing preventive, restorative, and surgical dental care to underserved communities.