From the #deltadentalARFoundation: There was no cake, no balloons, no “welcome” sign out front. But on a hot evening in early July, Shepherd’s Hope Dental Clinic (Shepherd's Hope Neighborhood Health Center) opened its red front door again for the first time after being shut down for 16 months because of the pandemic.

The neighborhood clinic, one of the few providing free dental treatments to the uninsured and underprivileged in Little Rock, was ready to see patients again. 

The first one was a 13-year-old girl with a severe toothache. She was accompanied by another teenager—not much older—who served as her Spanish translator and who handed the treatment consent form, signed by an adult guardian, to the staff.
 
One by one, other patients followed, all adults who were checked in according to COVID-19 safety protocols. Soon, the three treatment rooms were humming with activity. Except for a skeleton staff, everybody who provided their professional services tonight was a volunteer.

It’s this spirit of giving that makes the clinic unique, according to volunteer coordinator Kathy Ransom. 

“We boast a large volunteer base that includes dozens of medical, dental and vision professionals and a network of partners for ancillary services,” she said. 

The Dental Clinic opened in January of 2019 as part of the Shepherd’s Hope Neighborhood Medical Center, a faith-based medical, dental, and health education ministry serving the vulnerable and disadvantaged, many undocumented, in Little Rock and surrounding areas.

To date, the Dental Clinic has provided primarily emergency tooth extractions, funded in part, by a grant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. But long-term plans call for preventive and restorative care and oral health education integrated into a holistic approach to health care that goes beyond one-time treatment. 

Tonight’s patients left with a relieved smile on their face and a dental care kit in their hands. Perhaps a prayer of thanks was on their minds. 

Is your non-profit organization the answer to somebody’s prayer? Do you provide much needed dental care? Let us help. Details here. 

 

This story was first published on our Facebook and Instagram pages.