Georgetown, SC – Dental care is crucial to your overall health, but many people list cost as the main reason they do not regularly visit the dentist. Local Georgetown County dentists decided to change that and volunteer their time to offer oral health care access to the underserved in their community.
The Helping Hands Dental Clinic opened in 2013 and provides free dental services to residents of Georgetown County who do not have dental insurance and qualify within income guidelines. Through the leadership of a Dental Advisory Board composed of South Carolina Dental Association members Lindsay Moore, DMD, E. Benton DuBose, DMD, and Nicholas Papadea, DMD, funding and donated equipment were secured to construct a facility at 1813 Highmarket Street in Georgetown. Over 25 dentists volunteer each month on Thursdays and Fridays. Helping Hands dentists have treated over 1,200 patients.
Dr. Nick Papadea, owner of Drs. Papadea and Perry Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, is one of the generous dentists who donates his time and services to Helping Hands. Dr. Papadea is also the sitting Vice President of the SC Dental Association.
“Although the work can be difficult at times, it is very rewarding. The need for dental services in this area is remarkable. Almost every patient I’ve treated at the clinic has had a dental infection. It’s amazing that they are able to function with this amount of pain and discomfort. I’ve appreciated being able to give back to Georgetown County and look forward to serving more in the future,” Dr. Papadea says.
As a lifelong resident of Georgetown County, Dr. Lindsay Moore also finds it important to give back. “Volunteering at the Dental Clinic is an easy way for me to give back to the community that played a vital role in my upbringing,” said Dr. Moore, owner of Gentle Dentistry in Andrews and Georgetown.
Funded by a Delta Dental Foundation grant and matching funds, Helping Hands Dental Clinic recently was able to purchase state of the art dental chairs for their patients and staff and add computers and monitors in each room for easy viewing of x-rays during a procedure. They also installed a new x-ray machine and painted the clinic walls.
For more information on Helping Hands’ services, visit https://www.helpinghandsofgeorgetown.org.
