Dr. Glenn Wolfinger and his son, Dan, volunteered their time on Friday, September 24th, to treat patients at the Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, as part of the 8th MOM-n-PA program.
The MOM-n-PA Program:
MOM-n-PA is an annual two-day free dental clinic for underserved Pennsylvanians. Treatment is provided at no cost to individuals who cannot afford dental care.
This year, MOM-n-PA served 900 individuals with a goal to get them back on track to good oral health.
The first two-day mission took place in 2013 with over 1000 volunteers. Previously, they held missions in Philadelphia, Allentown, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Erie, Reading and Wilkes Barre.
The team at MOM-n-PA see patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients do not need to pre-register. Many begin lining up as early as 4:00 am. All patients are treated with respect and dignity. In addition, bilingual volunteers are available.
MOM-n-PA Treatment Provided:
MOM-n-PA provides a wide range of treatments, including oral hygiene cleanings, fillings, certain root canal treatments, temporary partial dental appliances, and extractions. In addition, pediatric dentists are available to treat children.
Each patient receives a post-treatment form that includes the name and contact information of a local dentist and possibly a local social service organization.
MOM-n-PA Volunteers:
Volunteers are the heart of MOM-n-PA missions. This year’s helpers included lay volunteers, dentists and dental specialists, hygienists, expanded-function dental assistants, front office staff, students, dental equipment technicians, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and x-ray technicians.
About Dr. Wolfinger and son, Dan:
Dr. Wolfinger, a board-certified prosthodontist at Pi Dental Center, volunteered in the prosthodontic section fabricating acrylic removable partial dentures and doing denture repairs.
Dan Wolfinger, a pre-dentistry student, drove down from the University of Scranton and helped Dr. Wolfinger as his dental assistant. Dr. Wolfinger and Dan were among 950 dental, medical and pharmacy professionals, students and lay volunteers who freely donated their time.
The next MOM-n-PA mission to be held in York, Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11.
If you are interested in volunteering at a future MOM-n-PA event or learning more about the program, visit http://mom-n-pa.com.
