This September, the Iowa Mercy Mission will host a community dental clinic in Coralville, offering free dental services to all on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) Special Grants Committee unanimously supported the project. To this end, board members convened in a special meeting at their Washington, D.C., office on Thursday, August 14th. In just four minutes, with a majority of members present and no discussion required, they approved a $10,000 contingency grant to the Iowa Mercy Mission to ensure the clinic goes ahead.
“The service is open to all, and we anticipate seeing approximately 1,000 to 1,200 patients over two days,” said Jim Hauth, Board Chair.
The full-service field dental clinic will be held on Friday, September 19th, and Saturday, September 20th, at the Hyatt Regency Coralville (300 East 9th Street, Coralville).
The site will feature 100 dental operators staffed by licensed dental professionals from across the state, including dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, who will donate their time and skills to help those facing barriers to dental care. The clinic welcomes patients of all ages with dental needs.
Services include cleanings, fillings, X-rays, endodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry, and selected oral surgeries.
Since its first on-site clinic in 2008, the Iowa Mercy Mission has served 18,583 patients statewide, providing nearly $13.3 million in dental care.
WCRF, the nonprofit licensee of Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, has awarded $4,306,524 in competitive grants so far this year.
The fall grant application is now open and closes on September 15th, with grant announcements expected on November 19th.