WOODSTOCK, Ga.,None — Hundreds of metro Atlantans got up early Saturday morning to receive free dental care. Saturdays clinic was held at the First Baptist Church in Woodstock.
Organizers of the clinic are calling it a mission of mercy.
Saturday was day two of the clinic, and the doors opened at 5 a.m. Since then, dentists have been helping hundreds of people with free dental work.
Susan Hayhome waited since midnight Thursday to have five teeth removed and replaced.
If youve got a pretty smile, I mean, it makes your whole face light up, Hayhome said.
And she hopes that pretty smile helps her land a job after being unemployed for two years.
And of course no health insurance. Ill apply for a job when I have a good smile, Hayhome said.
The Georgia Dental Association helped give new smiles to 1,200 people on Friday, and they hoped to help about 1,000 Saturday.
This type of event has been held in 17 other states, but its the first time its been held in Georgia.
The need is overwhelming. If you look outside you know, it is way beyond the capacity of even this kind of clinic, dentist Richard Smith said.
Organizers raised about $400,000 in money and equipment donations to pull off the event.
Whenever we ask for something from somebody, and told them what it was for, we didnt get turned down by anybody, they helped out, dentist Jonathan Dubin said.
Participating dentists hope the stories from Saturdays clinic will inspire more dentists to offer free care in the future.
If you look around here, you see smiles on a lot of faces, the dentist volunteers, its like their finding the joy in this, Smith said.
Organizers said they had to turn people away from the clinic because they are already at capacity.
For a list of low cost dental clinic throughout the metro area, click here.