The Iowa Dental Foundation held its first annual free dental clinic, the Iowa Mercy Mission, in Coralville on Friday.
The two-day event, held at the Hyatt Regency Coralville, provided free dental care to 580 patients and saved participants over $500,000 in treatment costs.
Jason Nigsch, a seasoned organizer and 15-year volunteer, said the program’s mission keeps him coming back. “It’s an opportunity to give back to Iowans and improve the quality of life for those who lack access to dental care,” he said.
Since its founding in 2008, the Iowa Mercy Mission has provided nearly $13.5 million in free dental services to more than 18,000 adults and children.
The clinic is operated by the Iowa Dental Foundation, a nonprofit organization supported by the Iowa Dental Association and the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.
Over 1,000 volunteers—including licensed dentists, dental hygienists, and students—donated their time and skills.
Treatments include cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals, X-rays, and partial dentures. Due to limited resources, crowns, implants, full dentures, and complex wisdom tooth extractions are not available.
Patients are treated on a first-come, first-served basis; no appointments, insurance, or proof of income are required. Interpreters, childcare, and translation services are available on-site to assist participants. Because each patient first undergoes a screening and treatment plan, wait times can be up to eight hours.
For the volunteers, the event was both challenging and rewarding. Tanya Tjarks, a ten-year volunteer, praised the teamwork: “It takes a village, but seeing the end result is worth it.”
Helena Hilliard, a first-year dental student who assisted with disinfection and patient triage, said she was deeply impressed by the patients’ gratitude. “Seeing people no longer in pain is truly a blessing,” she said.
Organizers emphasized the project’s goal: to relieve as many urgent dental pains as possible in just two days and to restore patients’ confidence.