According to organizers, the free dental clinics held annually by the Moses Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church are significantly improving the community’s oral health.
“When we first arrived in the city, some people hadn’t seen a dentist in 20 or 30 years—some hadn’t seen a dentist in their entire lives,” said Randy Meyer, director of the nonprofit Caring Hands Worldwide.
The organization operates the clinic through local churches. “We used to extract about 50 teeth at a time. Last year, we extracted less than 10. Now, we focus more on fillings and cleanings rather than just extractions.”
The clinic sees about 100 patients daily, about half of whom come just for cleanings. Meyer recalls a case during the clinic’s first year in Moses Lake when they had to extract 15 severely infected teeth from a patient to prepare for dentures—a situation he hadn’t seen in the previous three or four years.
The clinic opened in Moses Lake in 2017 but suspended operations for several years due to the pandemic. Services were provided by volunteer dentists and dental hygienists, who set up a fully equipped treatment station in the gymnasium at Crestview Christian School.
This year, Friday clinics were led by local dental professionals, while Sunday clinics were led by University of Washington dental students. A school in the Tri-Cities area also sent a dental hygienist and assistant.
For some, the event was a valuable learning opportunity. “She got hands-on experience that she might not have gotten in years in school,” said Dr. Marlin Meharry, a retired dentist who participated in the clinic with a dental assistant student.
Local volunteers also played a key role. Joni McKee, a dental hygienist from Ephrata, has been involved in the clinic for three years. “Last year, we only had one dental hygienist and two dentists, who came in sporadically.
This year, we have 10 people. This means we have more time to help those who haven’t had their teeth cleaned in years or who have urgent dental needs,” she explained.
The event offers more than just dental care—attendees can enjoy free haircuts and massages, and church volunteers will provide a free nacho lunch.
Caring Hands Worldwide, headquartered near Eugene, Oregon, operates mobile dental clinics throughout the Pacific Northwest and plans to expand to South America. In some areas, the need is even greater.
“At other West Coast clinics, people start lining up at 4 a.m.,” Meyer says. “And, because wait times for Medicaid-covered dental visits are even longer—sometimes up to six months—people with serious infections can be at real risk.”
The organization has over 1,000 volunteers, many of whom travel long distances to serve. For Dr. Bob Meharry, who runs a clinic in Hermiston, Oregon, the journey is relatively short. “I love volunteering at the free dental clinic,” he says. “It’s very satisfying to help others without expecting anything in return.”
“I believe this is a gift God has given me,” adds Dr. Marin Meharry. “I’ll continue to use it to help others as long as I can.”
