FOCUS | ISSUE 6 | 2010
2011 MOMOM planning underway; learn
more to participate with colleagues MDA Foundation sponsors fi rst MO “Missions of Mercy” in Springfi eld next fall
by Drs. Darren and Sarah Mahaffey Missouri MOM Co-Chairs
Sore Tooth? Just call your dentist, right? But as we all know, for many, it’s just not that easy. Next fall, Missouri dentists will have the opportunity to participate in a very meaningful event to make dental care available for some of Missouri’s neediest, which is the reason behind the Missouri Mission of Mercy charitable dental clinic, otherwise known as MOMOM.
MOMOM is a large-scale dental clinic (100 chairs) designed to meet the oral health care needs of patients of all ages who cannot afford care otherwise. The two-day, free dental clinic is set up with portable equipment in a large public arena, in this case, the E*Plex, which is a part of the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfi eld. A variety of healthcare providers including dentists, hygienists, assistants, lab technicians and nurses, in coordination with hundreds of non-dental volunteers, will provide invaluable services (fi llings, extractions, clean- ings, etc.). Our goal is to see approximately 1,500 to 2,000 patients over these two days. To meet this need over the course of the two days, we anticipate needing 150 dentists to work in the clinic in different capacities.
We have a local committee working to raise thousands of dollars to put on this event, but fi rst and foremost we need dentists from across the state to volunteer their time and service.
We know there are many ways a dentist can choose to give back to those less fortunate, but a MOM event is truly one of a kind. Here are just a few of the reasons why: 1) The LARGE number of people that are served; 2) The im- pact the event has on patients, volunteers and communities; and, 3) The opportunity to work with colleagues side by side and enjoy sharing the stories.
MDA staff joined us for the Kansas MOM event in Independence, Kan., and our local committee is planning to attend Oklahoma City’s event next February. Viewing video on these states’ websites (and reading some of their testimoni- als provided) gives you an idea of how moving one of these events can be for both those
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served and those who serve. But, a video cannot take the place of participating in person. We know that if you should help us out and make next year’s MOMOM event your fi rst experience of its kind, that it will not be your last. And there are thousands of people, from the very poor, to the working poor, to the young adult trying to make it away from home, to the child in need of a smile, that will thank you for it.
As stated, there is a large (and wonderful) committee of people, both in and outside the dental fi eld, working diligently to make this event happen. We are so proud of the efforts of those who are helping and that continue to work to make a difference in Missouri. There are people in charge of fundraising, food for patients and volun- teers, clinical areas, security and setup, to name a few. And though we know that our committee will make this fi rst event a great one, we also know that there will be more folks needed to step up to ensure the future of this event as well. It is never too early to make known that you would like to be a part of helping plan an event. What better time to learn how to make it happen around your area than by being a part now?
One of our goals in establishing MOMOM is that this be an annual event servicing different areas of our state each year; there- fore, it’s crucial we have volunteers come from all over! Maybe your community will be next? If you can’t make it, consider help- ing out by sponsoring a chair. You can do this through at
www.modental.org/momom. Talk to your friends and area businesses as well: let them know what Missouri dentists are doing to make a difference in people’s lives and let them know how they can be a part of that, too.
We’re thrilled for the possibilities this event holds for our state. We hope that you’ll mark your cal- endar to be in Springfi eld next September. You’ll be so glad you did.
Drs. Darren and Sarah Mahaffey (both UMKC 2005) practice to- gether in Springfi eld. Email them at
d.mahaffey@
sbcglobal.net.
In May 2010, MDA staff traveled to the Kansas MOM, which has occurred for many years, to get a better understanding of hosting this type of event. While there, they snapped these pictures. From top: Hundreds of chairs, supplied through America’s Dentists Care Foundation, are set up to accommodate the large number of patients that will be seen over two days. Once patients are triaged, the selected procedures are scanned and recorded, just one of the many highly-organized aspects of the event. Patients wait in holding areas for their designated treatment. Throughout the event, the MOM Welcome Crew helps keep patients comfortable and entertained. MOM events receive a lot of publicity, which provides another opportunity to show the compassion and generosity of the dental profession.
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