Free dental program has reason to grin

Share a Smile opens new Provo clinic with donated equipment

PROVO — Share a Smile and the Food and Care Coalition in Provo have joined forces to provide free dental care for those who can not afford it on their own.

"It's amazing what a smile can do," said Eileen Bidstrup, who is on the board of directors for Share a Smile.

A smile, she said, can play a large role in getting a job. Not only will a healthy smile give a cleaner, more professional appearance, it can also give self-confidence.

For the past four years, Share a Smile has been dragging its makeshift dental office into the dining room of the Food and Care Coalition, providing dental care between lunch and dinner. The difficulties in setting up the portable equipment limited the free care to once a month, said Dr. Eric Vogal, president of Share a Smile.

The new clinic has four dental stations with fixed locations, allowing the office to be open on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each station has equipment similar to that found in a dental office, Vogal said.

The mission statement of Share a Smile says: "We believe in providing our patients the same quality dental care we would like to receive ourselves."

To provide quality care, Share a Smile needed help through donations of equipment and also dental expertise. Both of these areas have been boosted by donations from dentists from all over Utah Valley. Not only does Share a Smile have enough equipment to start providing care, it also has 40 licensed dentists willing to work at the clinic for free on Fridays.

The clinic is also providing a hands-on learning experience for aspiring dentists and dental hygienists from Utah Valley State College and Brigham Young University. Students from the schools will help by providing dental care and planting the volunteer spirit so that when they reach their goals, they will realize how important it is to give back, said Vogal.

The clinic came together through a series of "miracles." Every item in the clinic is donated, and Bidstrup said everything fell into place when it was needed. That included a replacement for an old panel machine needing serious repair that Share a Smile was about to give up on. Provo dentist Evan Perry told the clinic he had a working machine of the same type that he was willing to donate.

Miracles were not limited to the equipment. A 60-year-old woman who worked as a child-care assistant needed to replace missing front teeth. Each night, the children would pray for her need to be fulfilled, Vogal said. Thanks to the service provided by Vogal and his staff at Share a Smile, those prayers were answered.

Dental care at the facility is provided to patients who, working with a mentor at the Food and Care Coalition, are approved for service. Each patient is asked to perform four hours of community service as a co-pay for each visit. The goal, Bidstrup said, is to give a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the service they receive in return.

Share a Smile still needs many items. Those wanting to get involved and help out are encouraged to contact Bidstrup at Share a Smile.

The new dental facility is located on 100 N. 275 West, just around the corner from the Food and Care Coalition.

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E-mail: jelder@desnews.com

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