SALISBURY — The Old North State Dental Society, the second oldest dental organization in North Carolina, has contributed $20,000 toward the Missions of Mercy dental clinic Sept. 27-28 in Salisbury.
“I believe this is the largest donation that the Old North State Dental Society has ever given,” said Krista Woolly, executive director of the Community Care Clinic in Salisbury and one of the fund-raising coordinators for the September clinic.
Members of the society will be among the professionals and volunteers helping with the dental care given Sept. 27-28 at Catawba College’s Goodman Gymnasium, where some 60 dental stations will be covering the floor for the two days.
Today, there are about 450 African-American dentists licensed and practicing in North Carolina. Nearly one-third of this population are members of the Old North State Dental Society.
The dental society’s big donation follows a $25,000 contribution from Tom and Dottie Abramowski, owners of Rockwell Farms.
The clinic will aim at providing dental care to 800 to 1,000 needy people.
Meanwhile, organizers are still seeking volunteers. Woolly says volunteers can go to the Salisbury Missions of Mercy website at www.ncmom-salisbury.org.
Volunteers should go to the “community volunteers” tab on the website. Any hours of availability are welcome — it does not have to be a commitment for a whole day or even a half day, but that is OK, too.
Several downtown churches are providing volunteers, but more are needed outside of that resource.
The volunteers include all of the dentists, dental hygienists, laboratory technicians and dental students, including members of the Old North State Dental Society.
According to the society, the organization decided to contribute to the Salisbury clinic for two reasons:
• It is part of the Old North State Dental Society’s mission to promote the health of people of North Carolina.
• Dr. Ernest J. Goodson, past president, believes public service should be a part of every professional organization’s mission.
“To whom much is given, much is required,” said Goodson, a native of Kannapolis. “The rights and privileges to earn a dental degree and to practice dentistry in this state is heavily funded by its citizens’ tax dollars.
“Therefore, dental care providers educated in this state have responsibilities to use the skills and talents each developed in dental school for the benefit of the citizens of this state, which helped develop our skills and talents. As dentists, we must decide whether we will give to our state in which we were reared and educated the broadest possible benefits of our education and training.”
Goodson added “by helping those who cannot afford to see a private dentist, we give back to our state.”
In June 2012, the Old North State Dental Society participated in a Missions of Mercy clinic in Fayetteville. Of the 62 dentists who provided a service, Old North State provided 42.
Approximately the same number of dentists from the Old North State Dental Society are expected to participate in the Salisbury MOM clinic this year.
In Fayetteville, more than 1,000 patients were treated over 16 hours. The monetary value of the services provided was approximately $684,470.