A Mission of Mercy (MOM) is a 100-chair dental clinic with portable dental stations set up in a large public arena. Dental screenings and services are provided on a first-come first-served basis, at no charge to those who attend. MOM combines the donated services of hundreds of dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratory technicians and an array of volunteers to provide these free dental services.

Patients will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis with hundreds of patients typically lining up outside the night before. Care will be provided to adults and children. Dental services that will be provided include: gross debridement and prophylaxis, amalgams, composites, extractions, limited endodontics, treatment partials and limited CEREC crowns. Services not provided are implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, molar endodontics and 3rd molar extractions.

Volunteering at the MnMOM provides a sense of commitment and service with ourselves, our communities and our state. It is a soul satisfying experience because it comes from the goodness of your own heart, with no expectation of receiving anything in return. Your service to the MnMOM event also highlights the continued problem of access to care to the citizens, Legislature and leaders of Minnesota.

When
Clinic Dates: June 7-8, 2024
Set up: June 6, 2024
Teardown: June 8, 2024 (immediately following clinic closing)

Where
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802

Directions

There are many positions available to general volunteers. Interact with patients by being a patient ambassador, in registration, translation services, waiting room coordinator, exit interview, patient greeter. You can also work behind the scenes in data processing, food and beverage service, maintenance, or parking.

Absolutely, we have a limited number of volunteer positions which can be performed while sitting. Please let us know of any concerns you have on your registration application and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. If we are unable to fulfill your request or you find you are unable to perform your assigned duties, just let us know and we will see where we can utilize your talents and contributions.

In order to assure everyone’s safety, all volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.

INN on Lake Superior – (MnMOM Headquarters Hotel)
350 Canal Park Dr.
Duluth, MN 55802-2316
218-726-1111
Group ID:10998 or Mission of Mercy
$173-$269
Deadline May 5, 2024

Pier-B Hotel
800 West Railroad Street
Duluth, MN 55802
218-482-8888
Group ID: Mission of Mercy or MISS0524
www.pierbresort.com
$199-$239
Deadline May 5, 2024

Radisson Hotel – (connected via skywalk)
505 W Superior St.
Duluth, MN 55802
800-333-3333
Group ID: Mission of Mercy 2024
http://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/G9659618

Parking will be complimentary for volunteers.

The DECC will be set up as a portable dental clinic with the anticipation of seeing 1000 patients per day for the two-day clinic. Add to that approximately 1,000 volunteers and you have a Mission of Mercy.

As patients register they will be asked to complete a form for basic demographic information and their health history. The form will be used for triage and to record patient treatment information. Patients will be treated based in their most urgent needs, with infection control and pain elimination as the first priority.
The clinic will be divided into several areas: Registration, Medical and Dental Triage, Radiography, Hygiene, Restorative, Pediatrics, Endodontics, Oral Surgery, Prosthodontics and Lab, Pharmacy and Patient Education. In addition, there are support areas such as Sterilization, Dental Supplies, Volunteer Registration, Data Processing, Hospitality as well as Food and Beverage.

A dental clinic with 100 portable dental chairs, lights and units will be set up to treat patients. The chairs will recline and the units will have access to water and suction. Given space restraints, each dentist will be able to have one dental assistant.

Children 12 and under will be treated in the pediatric clinic area.

In addition to receiving needed dental treatment, MOM patients learn the importance of good daily oral hygiene practices, healthy diet and routine preventive dental care. They learn about the negative effects of pop, sugary beverages and tobacco products, the link between dental health and overall health, oral cancer and more.

Department Protocols differ for each area and must be followed closely. Please review the protocol(s) for each department where you will be working. Department Protocols are:

• Anesthesia
• Dental Triage
• Endodontic
• Hygiene
• Medical Triage
• Oral Surgery
• Patient Escort
• Patient Exit
• Patient Greeter
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Prosthodontic
• Restorative
• Translator
• X-Ray

Contact your department lead with any questions you have about a specific area’s operations.

After the event we’ll send out a thank you confirmation email listing your hours of volunteering.

WHAT TO WEAR:
Dress comfortably. You will be doing a lot of walking or standing on a concrete floor, so comfortable, closed-toe shoes are a must.

Clinical volunteers will receive a scrub top, and non-clinical volunteers a T-shirt. Please wear the shirts provided so you can be easily identified as a volunteer. You can wear pants, jeans, shorts or skirts – whichever you prefer. Shorts and skirts should be of a length that is appropriate for a professional atmosphere, family setting and shows respect for patients.

Every effort is made to maintain a comfortable inside temperature, but it is next to impossible for it to be comfortable for everyone in such a large group. Therefore, you may choose to wear layers under the volunteer scrub top or t-shirt provided or a sweater or jacket that allows your volunteer shirt to show. Having the option to change into shorts and/or pants is also a good idea.

A light breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided for volunteers onsite in a break room away from the clinic floor. Because some of the food is donated we can’t guarantee that we can provide for every special dietary need.

Only water in a covered cup or bottle is allowed on the clinic floor. No open-top beverages will be allowed.

Everyone is required to attend a department specific orientation session prior to working their first shift on Friday or Saturday. (There is not an orientation session required for set-up or tear-down.) Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your shift so you will have time to register and attend the pre-requisite orientation.

At Thursday evening’s dinner we will have a general orientation for all volunteers. It begins at 6:00 pm and you will have an opportunity to go through orientation, register, get your shirt and get a tour of the clinic.

Absolutely! A project of this magnitude requires nearly $260,000 in tax-deductible donations and in-kind contributions to cover expenses for dental equipment, facility rentals, supplies, pharmaceuticals and food costs. Consider donating money or in-kind products or services. Your contribution, no matter the amount, will make a difference in treating thousands of patients. Please visit the Donations page on the Minnesota Dental Foundation website and select Mission of Mercy from the dropdown list.