Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh will line the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with 100 dentist chairs Friday and Saturday for a free two-day clinic offering dental, vision and hearing services to people who lack access or cannot afford care.
Powered by nearly 2,000 volunteers — the organization expects about 1,950 this year — the event provides dental exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions and root canals, plus eye exams and glasses, and hearing evaluations and hearing aids at no cost. The clinic began with dental services in 2017, added vision care in 2021 and hearing care in 2022.
“There are three areas where we can certainly provide help to try and get people on that path to good health,” said Keith Young, a Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh board member. He called the care provided at the clinic “vital,” and said the organizers aim to make patients feel “valued.”
All services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis to patients ages 2 and up. Doors open at 6 a.m. both days and will close when capacity is reached. Organizers recommend arriving around 5 a.m.; patients should expect waits of two to three hours.
Last year, volunteers delivered more than $2.3 million in free care to 1,676 people. The 1,978 volunteers performed 9,374 dental procedures and conducted 693 eye exams and 401 hearing exams.
More than half of those treated had no insurance. According to the 2024 State of Oral Health Equity survey, 27% of U.S. adults do not have dental insurance.
Young said he expects organizers to serve roughly the same number of patients this year. In 2024, about 300 people were turned away when the clinic reached capacity; those people were later offered free care through Catholic Charities.
Beyond treatment, organizers emphasize the clinic’s broader goal: delivering high-quality care in a welcoming setting so patients leave healthier and feeling respected.