Thousands of people will receive free medical screens and dental care Dec. 8-9 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds as part of the 11th annual Dental Mission of Mercy event.
The AZDA Cares Foundation said an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 patients are expected to be treated during the two-day event. More than 300 metro Phoenix dentists will provide their services.
According to their website, 42% of Arizona adults over the age of 65 have lost 6 or more teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease.
Kevin Earle, the current AzDA Cares Foundation President and former Arizona Dental Association Executive Director, said many dental and oral hygiene services will be provided to patients at no cost, including fillings, root canals, dentures and tooth extractions.
“It’s an opportunity for the entire dental community … to come together and give back to the community,” Earle said. “They provide a lot of free care to people who are in pain.”
Medical pre-screenings are also available if patients register online. On Thursday, Dec. 7, at 5 p.m., patients can begin the preliminary screening process, which includes blood pressure tests, oral x-rays, discussing dental concerns with dentists and determining treatment plans. Patients can then schedule appointments for the next day and be screened for any dental services they may need.
Walk-ins are also welcome at the Mission of Mercy event, Evans said.
The event follows a “no questions asked” policy where anyone in the Valley can walk in and receive free dental care and oral treatment. That also includes families and children, Earle added.
The dental event helps stop the pain, prevent bigger problems
The organization focuses on educating the public about the importance of proper dental care and oral hygiene, said Ava Evans, director of the AzDA Cares Foundation.
“Our main initiative is to bring critical dental education and preventive care (to the public),” Evans said. “Awareness and advocacy are really important at AzDA Cares.”
Even if patients only receive dental care at annual Mission of Mercy events, Earle said that could save them a trip to the emergency room, which may not provide dental care.
“People going and getting regular dental care is an important thing,” Earle said. “We make sure that small problems don’t become bigger.”
Earle said AzDA primarily works with underprivileged individuals who may not have access to affordable dentistry.
“Routine dental care is not as expensive as you might think,” Earle said. “The longer you ignore a dental problem, the more problematic it will be for you and the more expensive it will be for you.”
At the 2022 event, more than 1,100 people received dental care and valued $485,000 in total procedures performed, according to the AzDA Cares website.
Earle said the event has provided an estimated $23 million in dental care over the past 10 years.
“We brought the entire dental community together to focus on philanthropic needs,” Earle said.
AzDA Cares is also working with several sponsors during the event, including St. Mary’s Food Bank, which will provide thousands of meals to patients, and the Arizona Department of Health Services. Sponsors provide medical and dental supplies, funding, staff and donations to the event, Evans said.
“It takes many hands”
In addition to their partnerships, thousands of volunteers, including various members of the health care community such as pharmacists, doctors and nurses, were also expected to contribute to the Mission of Mercy event, Earle said.
“It takes a lot of hands to be able to handle the volume of patients we’re expecting,” Earle said.
Volunteers are still needed for the event. Those who are interested can visit their website For more information. People can also make donations at the event.
Dental Mission of Mercy event
When: December 8-9 from 6 am to 4 pm
Where: Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix.
