Hundreds benefit from free services during Dental Mission Week
Published on Monday, February 10, 2025
By: Rachel Vanderford, rvanderford@umc.edu
Photos By: Jay Ferchaud/ UMMC Communications
Lorenzo Boyland of Pearl has been struggling with dental pain ever since the metal filling in his tooth dislodged two years ago.
“The filling that I got while I was enlisted years ago fell out and I’ve been using temporary filling from the drug store ever since,” Boyland said.
Over-the-counter filling repair is designed to last only six to eight weeks.
Boyland is among more than 600 Mississippians, many of them veterans, who received care during the 9th annual Dental Mission Week at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry Feb. 4-6. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of issues related to access to dental care and to provide free dental care for vulnerable populations that include medically underserved or uninsured minor children and adults.
Dental Mission Week is made possible by business and individual sponsors including a lead gift of $25,000 by Hancock Whitney.
During the event, patients received dental services, ranging from routine cleaning to more complex work requiring follow-up visits. Dental Mission Week, an annual staple since 2017, is a collaborative effort that brings together volunteers from the Schools of Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Related Professions and Medicine, along with dental students and residents, dental hygiene students and volunteer dentists and staff from local practices.
Boyland, who was enlisted in the U.S. Army from 1996 until 2005, said the cavity was filled during this time. “The hole in my tooth was big enough that I could feel it with my tongue. Sometimes the sharp edges would even cut my tongue. I used the temporary filling, but it would come out whenever I ate almost anything. I’ve just been living with it like this because I couldn’t afford to get it checked out.”
After a wellness exam where students took his blood pressure and other vital signs, Boyland was escorted to another room where Emily Barnes, a dental hygiene student, took x-rays of his teeth. Those images were then passed along to dental students Avery Gibens and Amanda Boleware, who began Boyland’s treatment process with oversight from Dr. Michael Fast, director of the Comprehensive General Dentistry program. Boyland will return later to complete follow-up care.
“Do you have any sensitivity to hot or cold?” Gibens asked.
“It’s very sensitive to cold,” Boyland said.
“Okay, just let me know if you’re uncomfortable at all.”
Free services provided during Dental Mission Week include cleanings, extractions, fillings, root canals for front teeth, oral cancer screenings and oral hygiene education.
"I think the staff did a wonderful job and gave opportunities to so many people like myself, who truly appreciated it,” said Boyland. “Out-of-pocket expenses for any type of dental work do not come cheap. I signed up for their student program upon leaving, so I will definitely be going back.”
“Dental Mission Week is about more than just providing treatment—it’s about addressing a vital need in our community,” said Melody Longino, director of the event. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact this initiative has on our patients, many of whom are veterans who have served our country. We’re not just restoring teeth—we’re restoring confidence, comfort and quality of life.”
To wrap up the week-long event, Give Kids a Smile Day, now a signature event of Dental Mission Week, took place on Friday, Feb. 7. This is a day where first- and second-year dental students travel to rural elementary schools for a fun day of dental education. With larger-than-life props, costumes and kid-friendly skits, the students teach children about the importance of good oral hygiene and how to keep their smiles healthy. This year, they visited East Flora Elementary.
“Since 2017, Dental Mission Week has been an integral part of the work we do in the School of Dentistry to improve health outcomes and eliminate health disparities in the state,” said Dr. Pia Chatterjee-Kirk, interim dean of the School of Dentistry. “In that time, our students, faculty and staff have provided uncompensated care to over 7,000 Mississippians who may not have otherwise been able to get the care they needed.”