Ninety-nine people received free dental care from Lake Oconee Dentistry during Smiles from the Heart on Oct. 4.
The annual event, which provided over $30,000 in free dental care, allowed patients to choose between a cleaning, filling, or extraction.
Drs. David and Patti Bradley and their team at Lake Oconee Dentistry provided all procedures. Dr. David Miller, an oral surgeon and owner of Lake Oconee Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center, was also on hand to help with extractions. More than 40 volunteers also helped ensure the event ran smoothly.
“We do it every year as a service to the community,” Dr. David Bradley said about Smiles from the Heart. “We just keep seeing the need. We see a lot of people who can’t afford to have treatment done. Also, some haven’t been to a dentist in a long time and have no means of getting to an appointment on a regular day.”
Bradley said this year’s event also involved collaboration with many local community groups, who provided resources to patients while they waited for their appointments.
“A lot of people who come to Smiles from the Heart may not know that some of these organizations even exist, or that there are options for them if they need services,” Bradley said.
Participating community groups included Circle of Love Women’s Shelter, Greene County Habitat for Humanity, ATLAS Ministry, Greene County Food Pantry, Greene County Christian Outreach, The Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club, and Victory Train. Lakeside Church also set up a tailgate trailer with a big-screen TV and hot dogs for patients, and Marco’s Pizza donated lunch for the volunteers.
Bradley noted that Smiles from the Heart's overarching theme is community, with a focus on helping neighbors and providing smiles one by one.
“The event is just another way we can thank people for supporting us and try to help our neighbors,” he said. “Taking care of each other is what community is all about. “We realize what people go through; people can’t afford healthcare and can’t afford to care for themselves or their aging parents. The fact that we can fix something in their bodies and help them somehow, that they’re leaving better than they came in — that’s a good day.”