Baton Rouge Love Heals Clinic
We are inviting you to participate in a unique opportunity to serve those in need here in our community. The Baton Rouge Love Heals Free Clinic is a 2-day community-centered event offering FREE dental, general medical, vision, preventative and educational services. In years past, the event serviced over 1,400 residents who, without our assistance, would not have access to medical care.
Our primary purpose is to provide quality medical care to underserved community members. This event is first come, first served, and we will provide care to anyone. We expect nothing in return, only the satisfaction of helping those in need.
How does it work?The Baton Rouge Love Heals Free Clinic is brought to you by the City of Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish Advancing Health Literacy (BRAHL), who will be providing equipment and supplies for the temporary clinic. This will include approximately 35 dental and exam chairs, several mobile x-ray machines, and other ancillary equipment needed to serve approximately 400 patients daily. We will hire Better Vision Better Hope to bring in the equipment needed to run the vision department, including multiple autorefractors and a retinal camera. Initially, all patients undergo a brief wellness exam where a nurse will review their health history, measure blood pressure and blood glucose, and review their list of medications. The patient is then directed to the area of greatest need and primary service. We also provide on-site resources to connect patients to the community for future care or services.
All volunteers are asked to sign waivers covered under the Love Heals Free Clinics' malpractice and insurance policy. Non-medical volunteers will help with greeting, registration, cleaning, crowd control, visiting with patients, etc. Standard patient services offered include the following but can be expanded based on community support.
Dental: X-Rays, Fillings, Extractions, Cleaning
Vision: Exam, Glaucoma Screening, Prescription Eyeglasses
Medical: Wellness Exams, Diabetes Screenings and Education, Blood Pressure Screenings, Illness Diagnosis and minor treatments, Health Promotion and education
What are the Hours?
Volunteer Training & Clinic Set Up: Friday, April 14, 2023
Clinic Days:
· Saturday, April 15 7 AM-7 PM
· Sunday, April 16, 2023 7 AM- 3 PM
Where is the clinic located? Baton Rouge Love Heals Free Clinic will take place at the Raising Cane’s River Center in downtown Baton Rouge Rouge at 396 St. Louis Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801.
Your Help is Needed! We are looking for Louisiana-licensed dental, vision, and medical professionals and general volunteers to help serve the uninsured and underinsured population. Would you consider coming and bringing any of your staff, friends or family to volunteer? Every Baton Rouge Love Heals Free Clinic is made possible by the compassion and love of our volunteers.
If you are willing to join us in this incredible event, please register at lovehealsfreeclinic.org/get-involved. Once you register, you will receive email updates regarding clinic details.
Who is the sponsor? We can provide the clinic at no cost to patients through partnerships with Baton Rouge Advancing Health Literacy ( BRAHL) and local sponsors. Community leaders have partnered with the Love Heals Free Clinic team to provide funding, recruitment of volunteers, and donations to make the clinic possible. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Donna Collins Lewis or Dr. Nicole Thomas at BatonRouge@lovehealsfreeclinic.org or (225) 366-7190.
More questions? If you want to learn more about the Baton Rouge Free Clinic, please visit lovehealsfreeclinic.org for a clinic overview and contact Donna Collins Lewis or Dr. Nicole Thomas at BatonRouge@lovehealsfreeclinic.org or (225) 366-7190.
St. Bernadette Community Clinic
Dentists, have you been looking for an opportunity to help the poor and homeless population utilizing your expertise? We have a great way that you can serve those most in need. St. Bernadette Community Clinic is an acute care clinic located in Lafayette, La. providing services at no cost to its clients. One of the services that we offer to this needy population is dental extractions. We have a beautiful dental operatory that is staffed by volunteer dentists. Our extraction clinic is run every Friday by appointment only. We are looking for volunteer dentists. If you are interested in joining our staff of givers, please contact Gigi Dossey, R.N. at 337-470-3468 or email at
Marjorie.Dossey@fmolhs.org.
Louisiana Seals Smiles
Louisiana Seals Smiles School-based Dental Sealant Project will provide school-based dental sealants/fluoride varnish applications, oral health education and build synergy in schools around oral health, nutrition and obesity in underserved populations through a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Health and EatMoveGrow, Inc.
Purpose
The goal of this collaboration is increase access to a preventative dental services in school settings.
Background
Through the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health – Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
Biotech health, Healthy Smiles Oral Health Program (BCDPHP) seeks to implement and evaluate population-based oral disease prevention and promotion activities to improve the oral health of the residents. A major priority of the program is to prevent early childhood tooth decay by increasing school-based/school-linked dental sealant and fluoride varnish application programs. The program serves as a valuable source of information on best practices in oral health. Through education, monitoring access to service, and the initiation of population-based interventions, the program strives to improve the oral health of the state. Key stakeholders are also engaged to improve oral health.
To promote School-based dental sealants the BCDPHP will collaborate with EatMoveGrow to provide free screenings, dental sealants, fluoride varnish applications and oral health education to 1st and 2nd grade children in an effort to improve dental health. Students will also be led towards obtaining a dental home. Volunteer dentists will be coordinated with assistance from the Louisiana Dental Association (LDA) and Fluoridation Advisory Board (FAB) to complete initial screenings. The BCDPHP will contract with a pool of licensed hygienists that will place dental sealants and apply fluoride varnish on program participants. Hygienists will also educate on oral health hygiene and the benefits of dental sealants to educators, parents, and students.
School-based dental sealant program services are coordinated with those schools where 50% or more of the children receive free or reduced lunch.
If you are interested in volunteering, e-mail Mechaune.Butler@LA.GOV or call (225) 342-9499 with your availability. The Oral Health Program will contact those interested regarding delivery dates for schools.
Click here to see a list of community clinics.