Free dental services offered Saturday for those in need

Cape Girardeau Dental Care and Jungermann Dental Care will be offering cleanings, fillings and extractions for those in need of dental services during Free Dentistry Day on Saturday, according to news release.

Dr. David Kaelin, Dr. Richard Straus and Dr. Alina Gritsan will provide the services from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7 Doctors Park in Cape Girardeau. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The day is dedicated to the growing number of Americans without dental insurance, the release stated.

“We understand that many people in our community and across the nation haven’t been to the dentist for a long period of time,” Kaelin said in the release. “Some don’t understand the importance of dental health, but more often than not, they don’t have the financial means.”

He said the event offers a way to share time and resources with those less fortunate and give back to the community. In the release, Straus said dental health is a vital part of a person’s overall health.

“Through this event, we hope to educate patients on the importance of dental health and encourage them to adopt an ongoing oral care regimen,” he said.

“At the same time we’re changing their life, they’re changing ours,” Gritsan said.

Year to date, 163 patients have been treated in Missouri through the program administered by Heartland Dental, which provides administrative support for Cape Girardeau Dental Care, according to Briana Stewart, patient communications strategist. That is equal to $69,270 worth of dentistry services, she said by email Friday.