Approximately 200 dentists and 1,300 assistants, hygienists, and dental students volunteered to provide free dental treatment to about 2,000 patients during the annual AZ MOM program at the Arizona State Fairgrounds on December 13 and 14, 2019. Treatments included cleanings, fillings, extractions, restorations, and endodontics.
Dentsply Sirona and Patterson Dental supported the program by setting up five treatment stations for CEREC single-visit dentistry, which allowed 16 volunteer doctors to work with local registered dental assistants and third- and fourth-year dental students to process 125 crowns in two days.
“We partner with Dentsply Sirona each year to bring in two to three panoramic x-ray units that my service team sets up and uses for imaging,” said Jay Connors, general manager of Patterson Dental, who has been involved with AZ MOM for seven years.
“In addition, Paterson Dental is a CEREC training center and, in 2015, we added CEREC crowns to the AZ MOM event by installing four full CEREC stations,” said Connors, who also is a member of the Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation advisory board.
“We added a fifth full unit this year, which allowed our volunteer CEREC dentists to complete more than a hundred CEREC restorations in two days! An amazing feat, thanks to Dentsply Sirona’s support and to all incredible volunteers,” said Connors.
The program means more than providing free treatments to Connors and his team, though.
“The dental care our volunteers provide not only solves patients’ dental issues, but more importantly, helps them to regain their confidence and empowers them to smile again,” said Connors.
“When you are not in pain or embarrassed to smile, life is better. We are grateful to support this wonderful event where people’s lives are literally changed for the better,” Connors said.
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