Meharry Medical College, in collaboration with Remote Area Medical (RAM), hosted its annual Oral Health Day on Saturday, Feb. 29 and provided free dental care to more than 500 uninsured and underinsured patients to combat the nation's overwhelming lack of dental coverage. Services provided included cleanings, fillings, extractions, dental x-rays and nutritional counseling. Additionally, free kidney screenings were provided by the Tennessee Kidney Foundation.

Nearly 100 dental chairs were filled with patients and served by Meharry dental students, local volunteers and Meharry alumni, including one alumna who flew in from the Bahamas to help staff the public health outreach. The annual event was organized by the Meharry chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) in collaboration with RAM, a major nonprofit provider of pop-up medical clinics that delivers free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need.

In the U.S., nearly a quarter of the population is living without dental insurance. According to the CDC, for every adult aged 19 years or older without medical insurance, there are three without dental insurance. "Whole body health begins with oral health, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to share our knowledge and services with those who are in need," said Cherae Farmer-Dixon, DDS, MSPH, dean of Meharry's School of Dentistry. "The head is connected to the rest of the body, so proper healthcare begins with proper dental care. We are thankful to RAM for joining us in these efforts again this year and continuing to support Meharry's mission to serve the underserved."

Meharry's School of Dentistry is the nation's leading producer of African-American dentists. Today, more than 40 percent of African-American dentists in the U.S. are Meharry graduates, and 83 percent of the college's dental alumni choose to practice in underserved communities.