Local dentists, specialists work for free at Forest Dental Center

In an economic downturn, when money is scarce, some may choose to forgo necessary medical procedures — especially when those procedures include a not-so-cheap trip to the dentist.

But for the roughly 200 people at the Forest Dental Center on Saturday, those necessary procedures were better than cheap —they were free.

Fourteen dental practitioners from seven different offices offered their services free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis, said Brian McAvoy, who runs his practice at the dental center on Graves Mill Road.

Dentists, oral surgeons and other specialists removed impacted wisdom teeth and performed tooth extractions, cleanings and other procedures, McAvoy said.

“It’s really heartwarming to see other professionals take their time (to help),” he said.

McAvoy, who also organized a free event last year, said the idea came to him after hearing a seminar in Florida, in which one dentist spoke of his experience with Dentistry From the Heart, a national organization of dentists who hold similar free events.

“It just really touched us,” he said. “Our thought was we all make our living here, and we’d like to help locally as well.”

Caleb Tchisi, of Lynchburg, said he and his wife, Nikita, arrived at the office at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, shortly after the doors opened.

He said his wife had two wisdom teeth that needed to be extracted, but her appointment with her dentist wasn’t for another week and a half.

“It’s been causing her problems,” he said.

Tchisi said they were fortunate that a friend told them about the event on Friday.

“We’re just here because it’s basically an emergency,” he said. “We were trying to see if we could at least … remove the one that hurts the most.”

McAvoy said when he arrived at the office at 6:15 a.m., about 100 people were waiting in line.

“I got the call when the first few arrived at about 8 o’ clock last night,” he said, “and there was a group that spent the night in the parking lot.”

Iris Pina said she and her grandson Elijah both needed to have work done, but they were too late to be included, and the slots had already been filled.

“They were compassionate, and took him when I showed them (Elijah’s) teeth in the front,” she said.

Eight-year-old Elijah, she explained, had been kneed in the mouth when he was younger and, as a result, his front two teeth had never come out, and were beginning to rot.

“We’re hoping that the other tooth that’s behind it isn’t rotten as well,” Pina said, adding that her grandson’s mother did not have dental insurance.

For Pina, who said Medicare doesn’t cover her own dental work, her needs played second fiddle to those of her grandson.

“It’s awesome. It definitely is,” she said.

In addition to other practicioners donating their services, McAvoy said that supplier Patterson Dental Company donated “tons of supplies,” and left a repairman at the clinic, in case any instruments or supplies needed fixing.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s one of those things that, at the end of the day you’re exhausted, but it’s a good feeling.”

Oral surgeon Will Carvajal, of Central Virginia Oral and Facial Surgery, said he was glad to be a part of the effort.

“Dentistry is a good profession. It’s been good to all of us, and it’s our way of giving back to the community,” he said. “It’s a good cause, and I think it’s a pretty worthwhile day.”

McAvoy said there were no thresholds by which people were screened to have work done — insurance and income level didn’t matter — and the patients were grateful.

“I had one young guy, probably 22,” McAvoy said, “said he had a wedding next weekend, and he wanted his front two teeth fixed so he could smile for the pictures.”

Pina also expressed her gratitude for a service that she knew would have been expensive to receive elsewhere.

“It’s definitely a great community service that they’re doing,” she said.