The Missouri Elks Mobile Dental Units are going on another round of visits to bring dental care to those who wouldn't be able to have it without the service.
At the group's statewide meeting in Jefferson City this weekend, the two new units were on display. One will go to the east side of the state and one to the west side.
The program, which is operated by the Missouri Elks Benevolent Trust, was started for children with disabilities who could not be treated by local dentists for various reasons. Since 1962, mobile dental units, purchased and equipped by the Elks, have served the dental needs of eligible physically challenged children and adults and children with mental and developmental disabilities.
Care is also provided to poor people upon referral from a local Elks chapter.
Basic and routine dental treatments include X-rays, exams, cleaning, fluoride treatments, fillings and extractions.
All of the dental treatments are provided free of charge to the patients. Dr. Robert Beck has been doing the trips for seven years and is joined by dental assistant Cindy Smith, who has been going on the visits for 28 years.
"We see a lot of gum disease and cavities and root canals," Beck said. "A lot of dentists can only do so much or won't do some things because these are developmentally challenged people."
From October 2015 through August, the units had 885 patient visits and performed 8,389 procedures which brought the estimated value of that work to $390,445. The units have 14 stops. They work four 10-hour days and are on the road overnight for 26 weeks out of the year. They also have three days off to go home.
Most stops are at Elks lodges around the state. For the Jefferson City area, a mobile unit is scheduled to come to the lodge between Nov. 14-23.
The Elks Dental Program is administered by the Missouri Department of Health, which has a contract with Truman Medical Center-Lakewood. Funding is from Elk and Lady Elk pledges, plus special donations by lodges, ladies auxiliaries, memorials, legacies and Elks National Foundation annual contributions.
The two new units cost around $600,000.