In the United States, if you want dental care and your job doesn't provide it, you’re left with very few options to avoid paying full price. In Tennessee, TennCare offers dental insurance to people, but only up to 21 years old.
“It's overarching and we did over 2,000 patients in Knoxville and they were all there to see the dentist,” Remote Area Medical CEO Jeff Eastman said.
RAM provides free health services to people in need, and dental services take up 65% of their operation.
“Dental care is the number one need for people out here,” Eastman said.
As the need for dental care remains as constant as the lack of options, a local dentist has taken it upon herself to help others.
Dr. Smita Barole started a nonprofit called Smiles for Hope aimed to help women and children.
“We are working with women that are trying to get a second chance in life who may be coming from domestic violence, a shelter or protective homes right now that are working to get a job. I realized these women need something more comprehensive,” Barole said.
She said she quickly noticed the need for dental service and is working to dedicate every Saturday, outside of her own practice, to helping women and children.
“Oh, there are times when I have tears in my eyes, but the first time the patients see their face with dentures or partials in their mouth, their eyes and the tears that run down, there are so many emotions there,” she said.
Barole said none of this would be possible without her volunteers. The University of Tennessee law school even stepped in to handle the nonprofit’s paperwork, free of charge.
If you want to volunteer for Smile for Hope or learn more you can visit their Facebook page.