Video: It’s Free Dental Day in Ackerman

ACKERMAN, Miss. (WCBI) – One local dental clinic is giving back to its community in a big way.

This is the tenth year for Mitchell Dental in Ackerman to host a free day of dental care for people needing work done.

For the past decade, Mitchell Dental in Ackerman has provided free care to over 1,200 people with or without dental insurance.

“First come, first serve. We met a 150 about 9 o’clock. Our first patient was here at midnight, so he camped out all night and he was from Starkville. We have people from all over come,” says Mitchell Dental employee, Jamie Mchan.

Patient Tiffany Craddieth drove from the friendly city for a free filling and checked in as patient number 59.

“I think I pulled up at about 6:30 and I’m just recently getting back, but it’s all worth it, it is.”

Five dentists and two full staffs work around the clock doing cleanings, fillings, extractions, and x-rays.

It’s community service 100 percent.

“We do not get paid to be here. Our doctors don’t get paid to be here. They put in their time, they put in the supplies, we have supplies donated. The community members donate food and t-shirts for us, so all of this is free. We’re not gaining anything and that’s just something really special,” says Mchan.

On an average day, the Mitchell Dental clinics usually see a few dozen patients, but that number triples once a year, bringing in new faces and familiar ones.

“I visit them at least once a year to make sure my teeth are staying good and clean. Today, the reason I came as well is one, my fiance needed to, and I just like this dental clinic and stuff and thought it was time for another checkup,” says patient Chris Mchann.

Patients come in with a smile and the teeth pros say they leave with even better ones.

“It’s been a minute since I’ve been to a dentist. Actually, it’s been a while, since like my 18th birthday. They were very friendly, very patient. They explained to me what I actually really needed to get done, which was very helpful and put me on like a plan, like a treatment, to kind of keep my teeth going basically, and build up the strength,” says patient, Robert Hudson.

Some of the patients that come for the free visit are regulars, while others only come on this day.