Free dental, vision, hearing clinic reaches capacity
WPXI - For the second day in a row, a free dental, vision and hearing clinic in Pittsburgh has reached capacity.
Organizers of the Mission of Mercy event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center sent out an update at 2:30 p.m., saying 1,520 patients received care or will receive care between Friday and Saturday. Organizers decided to close the doors to the clinic to allow dentists and clinicians to treat hundreds of patients still waiting for treatment. Last year, the clinic treated 1,465 patients.
“Our team of more than 1,434 volunteers, including 120 dentists, have already provided treatments to hundreds of patients, and the remaining clinic hours today will be used to treat hundreds more who have been admitted, evaluated, and triaged, and are waiting to be seen,” said Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh Chairman Keith Young. “We are seeing a tremendous increase in the need for dental, vision and hearing services, and we are truly grateful to all the volunteers who are working tirelessly to care for as many patients as possible.”
Anyone who wasn’t seen because of capacity limits, or those who need follow-up care, are being referred to other agencies, like the Catholic Charities Free Healthcare Center.
Doors to the clinic opened at 6 a.m., and Young said patients began lining up hours in advance to receive care.
The clinic served adults and children ages 2 and older. There were no income or eligibility requirements to receive care.