OLYMPIA, Wash. - Pillows, blankets and sleeping bags are not what you usually bring to a dentist appointment. But you usually don't show up to the dentist eight hours early to set up camp outside the door
Christyna and Ryan Delgado were first in line in front of Dr. William Bode's dental office in Olympia. For the third year in a row, Dr. Bode and a group of volunteers offered free dental check-ups to patients in Thurston County under the Dentistry from the Heart program.
It was first come, first served, and some patients needed serious help.
"Hopefully an extraction or two so I can save some good teeth and get rid of some bad ones,” said Ryan Delgado.
They planned to see 100 patients, but more than 200 showed up.
"It’s hard because I come from a good family and it's hard to come down to the poverty level but what do you do - you just roll,” said Dalena Roberts.
Once inside, the familiar whine of the drill was heard while patients got their teeth cleaned and checked. Dr. Bode was more than happy to give up his time and expertise.
“And not everybody gets the treatment they need and we need to expand care and access and that's what we're trying to help out with,” he said.
That help can make a huge difference for patients who simply can't afford it but need it desperately.
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