Going to the dentist is so routine for many it’s easy to take its significance for granted. For many in the community, the cost of dental work and a lack of resources make even a regular checkup nearly impossible.
The Williamsburg Center for Dental Health on Monticello Avenue hopes to alleviate some of that burden with its annual Day of Smiles, the latest of which sparked smiles Friday.
“We have the blessing of a facility, and the blessing that we have is to give back,” said Dr. Stacey Sparkman Hall, the center’s head dentist.
For the event, now in its fifth year, the center closes to the public and offers free services to different groups in the area. This year, it partnered with the Grove Christian Outreach Center and 3e Restoration, a new organization in James City County that works with the local homeless population.
The groups give out tickets and coordinate transportation for those who need it. Care is administered on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients choose whether they want a cleaning, a filling or an extraction; if time permits, they can get back in line for additional work.
“One of the things that Dr. Hall is very passionate about is that they feel very cared for,” front office associate Carolyn Purks said. “She feels very blessed to have her practice and she wants to give back to other people.”
The center serves about 30 people each year during the Day of Smiles, covering as much as $20,000 in dental work. This year, a fellow area dentist, Dr. Helen Fiscella, also volunteered her time. The adjacent Fresh Market donated breakfast and the Catering Company provided lunch for patients.
Hall’s Christianity drives the initiative. She said they ask all the patients if they’re in need of prayer, and each one always asks for prayers for other people.
Hall said she’s simply grateful for the opportunity to help the community.
“This is a great thing that they do,” said Pastor Thomas McCormick of Grove Christian Outreach.
Birkenmeyer can be reached by phone at 757-790-3029.
