About LaMOM
The LDA Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization), together with partners such as the Louisiana Dental Association (LDA), the LSU School of Dentistry and America's Dentists Care Foundation, hosts Mission of Mercy (MOM) programs.
A location is transformed into a large-scale dental clinic with the purpose of treating adults and children who have limited financial resources or are otherwise unable to visit a dental office. Over multiple days, volunteer dentists, hygienists, assistants, students and community workers from across the state of Louisiana provide services including exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, anterior root canals, extractions and front teeth transitional partials. "LaMOM" is an incredible dental outreach event that takes patients on a first-come, first-served basis until we reached our capacity for the day. Our goal is to serve anyone willing to attend and participate.
HISTORY
On Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013, the Louisiana Dental Association (LDA) participated with the American Dental Association (ADA) to host a Mission of Mercy (MOM) in New Orleans in conjunction with the ADA Annual Session. After a successful MOM in our home state, the LDA Foundation elected to host its own MOM in 2015 in Baton Rouge, the state's capitol and home of the LDA's central office staff.
Stats provided by the America’s Dentists Care Foundation from the Nov. 3, 2013, MOM:
- 1,119 volunteers from 42 states
- 785 patient visits (there were 30 patients that made a second visit to the clinic)
- 755 patients
- $387,093.50 total care provided = $512.71 per patient
- Youngest patient – age 1, oldest patient – age 92, average age 39.46, median age 39
- 2,835 procedures consisting of:
- 752 exams (755 medical triage exams – 3 failed, 30 return patient visits recorded, 10 people left between registration and medical, 10 people left after triage without receiving recommended treatment)
- 266 x-rays
- 553 surgical procedures
- 393 fillings
- 270 cleanings
- 35 sealants
- 205 fluoride treatments
- 17 endodontic procedures
- 50 partials
- 8 denture repairs
- 7 add teeth
- 5 upper and 3 lower dentures
- 1 enamel plasty
- 1 palliative (emergency) treatment of dental pain
- 269 medications delivered onsite