Thousands of local residents without Arizona dental insurance waited patiently in line at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona to receive free dental care at the first annual Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy.

Nearly fifteen hundred dentists, dental hygienists, dental and lab assistants volunteered to help those who could not afford dental care or Arizona Dental Insurance. The treatments included exams, cleanings, fillings, and extractions.

Many of the attendee's who waited patiently in line had not seen a dentist in years. A combination of a lack of Arizona dental insurance coverage and the cost of dental care makes it difficult for many people to afford.

Many of the children who attended the event had never been exposed to any type of a consistent dental care program. Pediatric dentist Kimberly Sherill said the number of children with dental problems is a growing problem. Sherill was inspired to contribute her expertise to this event after noticing a decline of patient checkups in her own office which reflects the challenges and declines in the overall local economy.

The Arkansas Mission of Mercy is an annual two-day free dental clinic sponsored by the Arkansas State Dental Association for those in Arkansas who can't afford dental care or dental insurance. All services are provided free of charge by members of the Arkansas State Dental Association who are assisted by hundreds of volunteers. The 2013 Arkansas Mission of Mercy will be held on May 31 and June 1 at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Since the annual event was started in 2007, over 8,084 patients have been seen in only ten total days. The number of dental procedures performed has been phenomenal: 15,967 extractions of bad teeth, and 7,738 fillings and other restorations. These donated procedures were worth an estimated $4 million.

The event provides dental care for the relief of pain to residents of Arkansas who can't afford dental care and don't have Arkansas dental insurance. Most of the participants are from working families who do not have access to dental care. The majority of these patients might otherwise have no hope of receiving care if it wasn't for the generosity of the sponsors of this annual event.