Rep. Giegler was on hand Friday at the Western Connecticut State University campus to tour one of the most groundbreaking and altruistic programs to ever come to Danbury – the Connecticut Mission of Mercy’s Danbury Free Dental Clinic.
Rep. Giegler and Jonathan Knapp, DMD, a member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach
The dental clinic provided over 2,200 uninsured and underinsured people from an estimated 13 states with dental care ranging from simple teeth cleanings to tooth extractions and oral surgery.
Rep. Giegler with Laurel L. Risom, RDH, MPH, the Clinical Assistant Professor at the Connecticut Dental Hygienists' Association
Rep. Giegler toured the operation alongside Jonathan B. Knapp, DMD, who is a member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach and has helped facilitate the program for the last five years since it began in Connecticut in 2007.
Michael Pagano, WCSU President Dr. James Schmotter and Rep. Giegler
“The Mission of Mercy’s free dental clinic is truly a phenomenal operation that is providing vital dental health services to those who need it most. This event has made a tremendous impact on our community and I am thrilled that Danbury was able to host such an amazing program that will make a genuine difference in the quality of life of so many.” Rep. Giegler said.
Rep. Giegler with Fones School of Dental Hygiene students volunteering from the University of Bridgeport: Katie Grant, Brianna Engler, Chelsea Carneiro, Lisena Fero, Donna Proudfoot, Professor Laurel Risom RDH, MPH, Elvira Bourtsev, and Erin Voll.
Rep. Giegler added “I admire and appreciate the hard work, dedication and altruism of Dr. Knapp, the Mission of Mercy volunteers and area sponsors that have made this clinic possible. They are true community leaders helping those in need to live much healthier and happier lives.”
Rep. Giegler was impressed by the state-of-the-art medical techniques and equipment brought in to the campus’s O’Neill Center, which was transformed into a complete dental hospital. The clinic’s use of “cam/cad” dentistry, or computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, is groundbreaking in that it allows dentists to produce dental restorations such as crowns on premises in a matter of hours or minutes. The Connecticut chapter of the Mission of Mercy free dental clinic is the first and only one in the country to use this technology.
Rep. Giegler had the opportunity to speak with people waiting in line for service – some of which had been waiting since the night before – who all spoke about how the clinic has been a blessing. One woman remarked that she had not been to the dentist in decades and was grateful for the opportunity to receive free dental work, which she could not otherwise afford.
