Dental bus makes return visit to DeLand

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
It's coming back – When local volunteers scheduled a January visit to DeLand from the Florida Baptist Convention's traveling bus, they were swamped with people who needed dental services. So, the bus is back for a return engagement the end of June, while volunteers work to establish a permanent free dental clinic

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
Still at work — Chantell Martin, left, and Martha Aldrich are the team pushing for the effort to provide dental services for local people who can't afford dental visits.

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jun 14, 2009 - 7:41:22am

The dental bus will return to DeLand at the end of June.

Courtesy of the Florida Baptist Convention and West Volusia Baptist churches, the bus provides free dental care for people who can't afford a regular dentist.

Qualifying is set for 8 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at the Stetson Baptist Family Life Center, 1025 W. Minnesota Ave. in DeLand. It's on a first-come, first-serve basis. Clients must bring valid ID.

Appointments for basic services — fillings and extractions — will be set for the week of Monday, June 29, through Friday, July 3.

The need for dental care for people who can't afford treatment crystallized in January, when more than 200 people showed up to qualify for the services, which are a ministry of the Florida Baptist Convention.

To earn a visit from the bus, communities must find local dentists willing to volunteer to staff it.

During DeLand's January visit, volunteer dentists and staff, organized through a partnership between Good Samaritan Health Clinic in DeLand, Stetson Baptist Church and dentist Dr. Michael Kelly, couldn't handle the crowd that qualified for care, so they scheduled the bus back during the first opening in its schedule.

Because of the acute need seen in January, volunteer coordinators Chantell Martin and Martha Aldrich, and the volunteer dentists decided dental services should be added to Good Samaritan Health Clinic's services.

They are searching for the right building, hoping to find one large enough to house Good Samaritan's medical services and dental services. A permanent clinic would be able to perform more comprehensive dental care than one visit in the bus.

Dr. Frank Reynolds, an Ormond Beach dentist who retired recently, donated all his office and dental equipment to the hoped-for clinic. Participating dentist Dr. April Flutie of DeLand received a pediatric chair from a dentist in Lake Mary for use at the clinic, as well.

"It's all waiting for a good home," Good Samaritan Administrator Mary Gusky said.

A search committee is working on a good lead for a location, Kelly reported.

For more information about the dental clinic or to help create a permanent one, call (386) 873-8743.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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