Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh needs volunteers to assist with its free dental, vision and hearing clinic taking place Oct. 24-25 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown.
The annual event brings together dentists, clinicians, opticians, ophthalmologists, nurses, imaging technicians and general volunteers to support children and adults who lack access to — or cannot afford — regular dental, vision and hearing care, according to a news release. Dental procedures and treatments provided include dental exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions and root canal treatments. Eye exams, glasses, hearing evaluations and hearing aids also are offered free of charge.
Doors to the clinic open at 6 a.m. and will close when capacity is reached for each day. All services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge to patients ages 2 and up, according to the release, with no income, eligibility or preregistration requirements to receive care.
Since its first clinic in 2017, MOMPGH has provided $9.2 million in services to 8,941 patients.
“Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh brings together individuals willing to serve others who are less fortunate. It represents the very soul of the city by demonstrating the compassionate and caring nature of the people here,” board member Keith Young said in the release. “It is absolutely amazing for our volunteers to be able to relieve their patients’ pain or allow them to hear better or get eyeglasses to see more clearly. It is a very special feeling for volunteers when they assist someone who needs help in order to positively impact their health.”
During last year’s clinic, MOMPGH volunteers provided more than $2.3 million in services free of charge to 1,676 individuals in need.
Dental professionals are particularly needed as 33% of the dental patients in 2024 had been in pain for more than one year. And they have an added incentive for volunteering: Dentists, dental hygienists and certified dental assistants can receive up to three hours of Continuing Education Credits for volunteering with MOMPGH. The Dental Continuing Education Credits for Charitable Volunteerism Bill, which was signed into law in 2023, allows up to three hours of volunteer dental, hygiene or dental assisting practice at a clinic or health center, or at an event or program offered by a charitable entity, to be credited toward a licensee or certificate holder’s continuing education program, according to the release. The number of dentists and dental technicians participating directly impacts the number of patients MOMPGH can help over the course of the two-day clinic.
In 2024, nearly 2,000 volunteers enabled Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh to perform 9,374 dental procedures, as well as provide 693 eye and 401 hearing exams, the release stated. Additionally, attendees received 552 pairs of free eyeglasses and 586 free hearing aids.
Again this year MOMPGH is looking for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, dental students and faculty, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners, physicians and physicians assistants, lab techs, radiology professionals, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and audiologists.
“We are grateful for the army of volunteers who make Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh possible. Thanks to their professional expertise and generous spirit, we are able to provide every patient the attention and care they need and deserve. We are again asking the Western Pennsylvania volunteer community to come together and commit to volunteering for the 2025 clinic this fall,” Young said in the release.
MOMPGH also is seeking general volunteers to fill roles that contribute to the overall success of the two-day event, the release stated. These volunteers will act as ambassadors and assist with hospitality, check-in, on-site administrative tasks, setup, breakdown and more. No clinical experience is required to assist as a general volunteer. Volunteers will participate in a training session prior to the event and will be provided with meals on the days they serve.
More information and volunteer registration is available at www.MoMPgh.org/volunteer/.
The PUP is the publication of the striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
