Chatham Co. Safety Net Planning providing free dental care this weekend

GARDEN CITY, Ga. (WTOC) - Experts recommend that you go see the dentist twice a year but that’s often not possible for people who don’t have dental insurance.

Still, dental health is critical to overall health which is why the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council teamed up with Remote Area Medical for the second year in a row, to make dental care accessible to folks all around the area.

Dental cleanings, fillings, X-Rays, and even oral cancer screenings those were just some of the services that were offered Saturday at the Garden City Recreation Center, completely free of charge.

“It’s a ginormous help, because when you think about it, we put other priorities over just essentials. Make sure our teeth are clean, make sure our eyes are good, we put other essentials over that just so we can survive, especially with everything going up nowadays,” Patient Jamari Tripp said.

That’s why Remote Area Medical and the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council put on the free dental clinic.

The Safety Net Planning Council did a survey last year, and found that 60 percent of the people that responded hadn’t seen a dentist in over a year, largely due to cost.

Not taking care of your oral health, however, can cost more than just money in the long run.

“Studies have been shown that poor dental health can cause problems with the cardiovascular system. I’ve personally known families of people that have died from dental infections, so it’s- there’s a huge need to keep your dental health up so your overall medical health is stable,” Dr. Randall Ford said.

Though medical and dental issues are often linked, their insurance is separate.

However, the dental clinic doesn’t require insurance, a co-pay, or even ID- to make care accessible to anyone that needs it.

Still, it takes plenty of time, and people, to pull the clinic off.

“It’s a great group of professionals here in the Chatham County area that’ve come together. They’ve got the expertise, they’ve got the knowledge, we bring the stuff and the systems, and it just comes right together so the whole community right here in Garden City and the Chatham County area can be taken care of,” Jeff Eastman said.

“Come down and get it done. Take time out your day and just come get it done because it’s worth it. They did a good job,” Tripp said.

If you missed out on the clinic Saturday, no worries. It is open again Sunday from 5 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Patients are seen, however, on a first come, first serve basis. So the earlier you come, the better.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.