Hoyer Visits Southern Maryland Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5)visited the Southern Maryland Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic, a two-day clinic providing dental screenings to Southern Maryland adults who are unemployed, uninsured or under insured, and veterans, as well as their families.

"Following the tragic death of Deamonte Driver in 2007, which could have been prevented with routine dental care, our region has been increasingly focused on ensuring children and adults have the dental care they need to stay healthy," stated Congressman Hoyer. "I'm pleased that hundreds of Southern Maryland residents could access important dental services through this two-day clinic. With every dollar donated, this program delivers $17 in dental services to Southern Marylanders, providing tremendous value to our community and reducing the number of emergency room visits at our local hospitals.  I thank Dr. Garner Morgan for leading this effort, as well as all of the dentists, hygienists, oral surgeons, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and volunteers for donating their time and resources to make the event possible and to ensure that the underserved in our community have the care they need."

This is the seventh Mission of Mercy event in Maryland and the second in Southern Maryland. The first Southern Maryland event was held at Chopticon High School in June 2012. At the event, more than 650 people were treated and approximately $800,000 worth of dental work was provided. This year, between 800 and 1,000 people are expected to be treated. Equipment for the Mission of Mercy program was initially funded through a federal grant following the death of Demonte Driver in 2007. Some of the current funding comes through grants under the direction of the Maryland Dental Association and private donations.