[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 16152]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1210
                       COLORADO MISSION OF MERCY

  (Mr. GARDNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. GARDNER. This past weekend, I volunteered at the fifth annual 
Colorado Mission of Mercy, a 2-day free dental clinic held in a 
different Colorado community each year. This year it was in Brush, 
Colorado, an appropriate name for a dental clinic.
  The Colorado Mission of Mercy brings more than 100 portable dental 
chairs into a Colorado community and provides dental services to 
children, adults, and elderly who cannot afford them on their own. The 
group has nearly 200 volunteer dentists from across the State and 
hundreds of dental hygienists, assistants, and lab technicians.
  This year there were approximately 175 dentists, 947 volunteers, and 
nearly 1,500 patients who were served over the 2-day period. Helping 
people avoid dental discomfort that can interfere with school and work 
was a life-changing experience for many at the clinic. One person 
commented that now he doesn't have to be embarrassed because he doesn't 
have any lower teeth. This person now felt confident to go out and look 
for a job.
  Rural communities, in particular, face tougher challenges when it 
comes to getting proper dental care because there are so few dentists, 
and people often have to drive long distances to see them.
  Proper care is vital to our overall health, and I commend the 
Colorado Mission of Mercy for sponsoring this event.

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