Meharry Medical College will provide free dental services to up to 600 uninsured or underinsured Middle Tennesseans at its annual Oral Health Day on Saturday. February 29.

Free dental services provided at the one-day clinic include cleanings, fillings, extractions, dental x-rays, and oral hygiene and nutritional counseling. There will also be free kidney screenings provided by the Tennessee Kidney Foundation. The annual event - organized by the Meharry Chapter of the Association of Dental Students (ASDA) in collaboration with Remote Area Medical (RAM), a nonprofit provider of mobile medical clinics that delivers free dental, vision and medical care to those in need - will feature 100 dental chairs.

Many of Nashville's most vulnerable citizens do not have good oral health care because they cannot access or afford it. According to the CDC, for every adult aged 19 years or older without medical insurance, there are three who don't have dental insurance. In just two years, Meharry has treated nearly 1,000 patients and provided more than $400,000 worth of free dental care as part of its annual Oral Health Day event.

Meharry's School of Dentistry is the nation's leading producer of African-American dentists. Today, more than 40 percent of African-American dentists in the U.S. are Meharry graduates, and 83 percent of the college's dental alumni choose to practice in underserved communities.

Patients must be 18 years old to receive treatment and will be seen on a first come, first served basis. All services are free, and no insurance or ID is required.

Patient registration/check-in is at Henry A. Moses, Ph.D. Alumni Hall on Meharry's campus. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 6 a.m. Services will be available at 7 a.m. No children will be permitted. Care will be provided by Meharry dental students, Meharry School of Dentistry alumni and volunteer dental students and providers.

WHEN:

Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 7 a.m. - TBD (Tickets will be distributed beginning at 6 a.m.)

WHERE:

Meharry School of Dentistry

Henry A. Moses, Ph.D. Alumni Hall

1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37208