Inside The Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, patients of all ages could access free dental care.
Cleanings, x-rays, prosthetics and extractions were just some of the services available for patients.
“By not eating a lot of junk food and brushing my teeth every single day,” said Courtney Malcolm. of New Haven.
That’s how 10-year-old Malcolm takes care of her teeth. This was her first free cleaning with the Connecticut Mission of Mercy. Others have come out before.
“I had a cleaning and three teeth pulled,” said eight-year Navy vet Daniel Zelinas. “This is my fourth one. Top notch. Class operation.”
On Saturday morning, there were 80 dental stations and a number of volunteers working to make patients look and feel their best.
The Connecticut Mission of Mercy hosts this free dental clinic every year. This weekend marked the 16th clinic and about 1,400 patients were seen.
The clinic started at 8 a.m. and remained open until it reached full capacity.
“To get a hug from somebody, thank you so much you’ve changed my life, it’s priceless,” said Dr. John Conroy with Connecticut Foundation of Dental Outreach.
Dr. Conroy co-led the clinic’s prosthetics department, helping people who were missing teeth walk away with a brand-new smile.
“This is a dental home for some of our patients, so we see patients year after year after year, and it’s privilege to provide that service for them,” said Dr. Conroy.