Annual M.O.M. event fills great need for access to dental care in the Eastern Panhandle

The word mom is synonymous with providing comfort and care - especially when it is needed most. That is why the acronym M.O.M., which stands for Mission of Mercy, is so fitting for what is under way today in Martinsburg. Beginning at 6 this morning, approximately 800 volunteers will help provide oral health care to what organizers estimate could exceed 1,200 patients from around the Eastern Panhandle.

The free dental clinic will take place today and tomorrow at Hedgesville High School, and it is filling a void in service - so much so that people lined up hours in advance of last year's inaugural event, which served more than 1,100 patients.

Jan Callen, executive director of the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle, said his organization has researched this issue and there is a shortage of oral health care in the region. Sadly, even those who have quality dental insurance sometimes have difficulty getting in to be seen by a provider. The situation is even more dire for those without insurance who often lack the funding for or access to dental care.

The United Way, working in tandem with the volunteers and oral health professionals who make this mission possible, has come to action to help solve this health care crisis in the community. As a result, anyone age 18 or older who is uninsured or underinsured - or unable to pay for any reason - will receive free care at the clinic. Services will range from basic cleanings, to repairs and fillings, to extractions and oral surgery.

This project is a blessing to those it aids, and it also is a rewarding - and sometimes life-changing experience - for patients as well as the volunteers. Callen said this project is a tangible example of the good deeds that happen every day in the community and what can happen when people pull resources to respond to a need. We agree and believe in this mission.

In addition to M.O.M., the Health Smiles Oral Health Center is slated to open in January, thanks to money from operating revenues, grant funding and local contributions. Nearly $300,000 is needed in the next three years to expand the facility, and a fund drive is under way. That center is the culmination of the time, effort and resources of those who tirelessly give in this community to effect change. We salute them for making such an impact and for helping fix a woefully neglected problem. We also would like to recognize the three people who are being honored in memoriam and to whom this year's M.O.M. is dedicated: Katherine Sharp, Dr. Matthew Mathias and Dr. James Bernard "Bernie" Hutzler - all of whom had volunteered with the project.