Total Dental Care sponsored a free day of dental care on on May 16 in Guntersville, AL. “Dr. Chris Harper offered the service to those who would otherwise be unable to afford the care,” 48 WAFF reports. “He ended up seeing 85 patients and doing over $18,000 in free dentistry. He called the event a huge success.”

The event ran from 8 a.m. Friday until close. Dr. Harper treated patients on a first-come, first-serve basis, and the Guntersville dentist encouraged residents to bring canned food items to donate to a nearby food bank. Patients lined up for free fillings, extractions, cleanings, and more. The dentists will care for patients without insurance, ages 19 and up, free of charge. Dr. Harper and his colleagues feel confident that they are making significant strides with the yearly event. “There’s a lot of people out there, [the] economy’s bad, and people aren’t able to find jobs, and they need help, and that’s what we’re here for,” said Dr. Harper’s colleague, Dr. Aaron George.

“I think it’s great that there’s dentists who go to other countries and do mission trips, but there’s people here in our own backyard who need help, if not more,” Dr. Harper told WHNT. These events and others like it, in fact, are likely responsible for notable improvements in Americans’ teeth and dental care. For example, 90% of American seniors (65+) have all of their natural teeth — an incredible improvement compared to years past.