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  • About 1,500 patients were seen and $1.3 million in procedures were completed at the Mission of Mercy dental clinic at the Verizon Wireless Center Friday and Saturday. Pat Christman

    Mercy

August 18, 2012

Million dollar smiles from Mission of Mercy

The Free Press

MANKATO — Ranel Thuringer was one of the last patients to leave the Verizon Wireless Center Saturday afternoon, and she was also one of the many who had some pretty extensive work done.

Smiling at her reflection in her minivan window -- her two kids inside and her admiring fiance' standing by -- Thuringer was pretty excited for a few reasons. Mission of Mercy had just saved her family at least $10,000 in oral surgery. And for the first time in years, she wasn't sheepish about showing off her pearly whites.

"I got my smile back," she said.

Mission of Mercy provides free dental care, no questions asked, to anyone who needs it. The temporary dental clinics have been set up across the country since 2000. For the first time in Minnesota, a temporary dental clinic was set up Friday and Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Center. The Mankato event was hosted by the Minnesota Dental Association in conjunction with the Minnesota Dental Foundation.

Carol Embertson, communications director with the Minnesota Dental Association, said about 2,000 patients were expected to be seen over the two days, and about $1 million in procedures were expected to be completed. Instead, about 1,500 patients were seen, and $1.3 million in procedures were done.

Thuringer was an example of one of the spendier procedures. She was born with an enamel-eating disease that runs in her family. She sells cars, and she said she would often see her customers looking down at her teeth.

Thuringer needed oral surgery to have three teeth removed and a partial denture made. Estimates from oral surgeons have ranged from $10,000 to $60,000, she said. And while she has insurance, it doesn't cover much of the cost of the extensive work.

So Thuringer came to the Verizon Center Saturday and had the three teeth removed. "I cried a little," she said. "But it was worth it."

They also made an impression of her teeth, and by the time she came back to the Verizon Sunday afternoon, her partial denture was ready to pick up.

It fit perfectly.

"I can smile again," she said.

 

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