Residents of Fairmont, West Virginia, were invited to attend a one-off free dental clinic on Labour Day.
The clinic was hosted by Dr Craig Hatfield, who opened his office to vulnerable patients, who would otherwise struggle to afford dental care. Dr Hatfield wanted to offer treatment to local people who were unemployed or had a low income to help them out with the cost of dental care. The one-off event was the first time Dr Hatfield had hosted a free clinic.
Dr Hatfield offered patients a range of routine dental treatments, including tooth extractions, examinations, fillings and X-rays. Dr Hatfield said that many people were struggling with infections and cavities, which were gradually getting worse because patients could not afford to get them treated. The trend is becoming increasingly popular across America, with staff from emergency departments reporting a considerable rise in the number of dental patients being admitted with severe tooth pain. Patients cannot afford the cost of treatment so they are forced to go without, but when the pain gets unbearable they have little option but to go to hospital.
Dr Hatfield opened the clinic to give something back to the community and help those who are desperate for treatment but cannot afford dental bills. The staff at the clinic worked for free and more than 35 patients were treated; Hatfield said more than a hundred patients had called for appointments but the clinic did not have the staff or the resources to cater for all of them.
Dr Hatfield was delighted with the results of the clinic and now hopes to make it an annual event.
