Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh offers dental, vision and hearing care at free clinic
Michael Kirk of McKeesport got his teeth cleaned; James Pearson of Mount Washington had an eye exam; and Rev. Marshall Richbourg of Pittsburgh's Hill District received two new hearing aids — all at no cost.
They were three of the hundreds of patients to receive free dental, vision and hearing services at the Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh clinic on Nov. 1 and 2 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Patients lined up beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. Organizers expected more than 1,600 people over the two days. By 3 p.m. Nov. 1, they had reached the daily limit to treat everyone.
The event is in Pittsburgh annually thanks to the vision of those such as Dr. Daniel Pituch, Mission of Mercy co-founder and chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at UPMC Mercy and UPMC Shadyside. Mission of Mercy Pennsylvania moves to different areas every year, and Pituch helped raise money to have it in the Pittsburgh region every year.
"There is an outpouring of emotion and of holding of a patient's hand and hearing them say we changed their life," Pituch said after performing a tooth extraction. "And that we treated them with respect. At a time when there is so much division, Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh is a reminder that the people of Pittsburgh truly care for one another. No one should have to suffer in pain due to a lack of insurance coverage or financial constraints."
Because it is incredibly important for people to get their teeth, eyes and ears checked regularly, anyone can come to the clinic. No questions are asked about insurance or income.
Almost all dental emergency visits can be eliminated with routine preventative measures, Pituch said.
"Dental problems can be life-threatening if left unchecked, " Pituch said.
He said there might be people in between jobs or who have limited resources or access to care. The two-day event was not just for the homeless or low-income people — it was for everyone, said Yvonne Cook, president of Highmark Foundation, an event sponsor.
"For me, this is about seeing people get direct care," Cook said. "If they have a toothache, they get that fixed. If they need glasses, they get glasses. If they need a hearing aid, they get a hearing aid."
The clinic is a vital resource and the fact that people wait for hours speaks to how critical these services are, Cook said.
She said dental issues can affect a pregnant woman's health, which can, in turn, affect her baby. If children can't see or hear well, that might hinder them from learning.
At the clinic, veterans are taken to the front of the line.
Cook said because it is important to continue with the aftercare portion, Mission of Mercy partners with health centers so patients can have access to follow-up health care in their neighborhoods. She said patients may be more apt to go to see a doctor on a regular basis if the physician is close by.
By the time Kirk heard about the clinic last year it, was too late to get in so he made a point to look for it this year. He planned to get all three services and arrived at 5:05 a.m.
"I promised myself I would keep track of when it was," said Kirk, as he waited with hundreds of other people. "This is such a great thing. They are efficient and I am astonished by how many people are here."
Pearson, who injured his left eye, said doctors referred him to a specialist.
"This is so good they do this," Pearson said. "This is helpful. I don't have insurance to get glasses. Not being able to see well is miserable. I need to take better care of my eyes. The people here make you feel better from the doctors and nurses to the volunteers."
"This year's clinic promises to extend a helping hand to our most vulnerable neighbors," Dr. Jake Waxman, leader of the Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh Eye Care initiative and director of UPMC Eye Center Mercy, said in a statement. "Every pair of eyeglasses matters. Every pair of eyes matters."
Richbourg heard about Mission of Mercy through his volunteer work with the Senior Jazz Connection, a group that travels to perform at senior living high rises.
He said he is still getting used to the hearing aids. When he told his wife Lisa, the pastor at Pittsburgh's Agape Worship Center, about the hearing aids, he said she was happy. Richbourg said said the work Mission of Mercy is doing is extending an open hand to anyone who needs help.
"My wife always thinks I have the television up too loud," he said. "And that I don't always hear her. Now, I will hear everything she says."
Several signs throughout the convention center asked patients to have patience. Last year there were 1,714 volunteers, 1,702 patients and 9,517 dental procedures. They gave 825 eye exams, 447 hearing exams, 752 pairs of eyeglasses and 274 sets of hearing aids.
Approximately $2.3 million in services were provided last year and $6.8 million since 2017 to 7,265 patients.
When patients enter, they go to a triage and are to be assessed to make sure they are well enough for treatment. A patient ambassador stays with them at all times. They have translators for those who may not speak English.
Keith Young, chairman of Mission of Mercy and administrative director for the event, said last year 83% of the patients were from Allegheny County. He said around 70% don't have health insurance and for those who do, the copays are high.
"That means there is a need right here in our backyard," Young said. "We need to help the local community. You can see that the need is there. We see people from all walks of life. Some people have to choose between feeding their family or going to the dentist so you know what they choose."
It started as dental care here in Pittsburgh in 2017. Eye care was added in 2021 and hearing in 2022. Mission of Mercy partners with the American Heart Association to get information out about high blood pressure and diabetes. Some patients receive blood pressure cuffs to take home.
"We train all volunteers that this is an experience and we want it to be a positive experience," Young said. "We want the patients to feel valued. They are our brothers and sisters."
A former patient who had multiple teeth extracted came back as a volunteer, said Don Vigliotti, a retired pediatrician who is the co-lead for medical treatment with Tammi Grumski, a nurse practitioner.
Grumski recalled a woman who had lost two family members and had some tooth problems and was distraught.
"She left here with a smile," Grumski said. "The is no judgment here. There is lots of hand-holding and comforting."
