On Friday June 21, residents in the Carbondale area will have an opportunity to receive free dental services at University Place Dental, a Carbondale dental office, located on Main St.

This opportunity to receive free dental services is part of Free Dentistry Day, a day dedicated to providing free dental care to community members without dental insurance, according to a press release from University Place Dental.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 108 million Americans are living without dental insurance, the release said.

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“We understand that many people in our community and across the nation haven’t been to the dentist for a long period of time,” Dr. Bryan Goldesberry, dentist at University Place Dental, said in the release. “Some don’t understand the importance of dental health, but more often than not, they don’t have the financial means.”

In the release, Goldesberry said this event is a great opportunity for University Place Dental to share their time and resources with those less fortunate and give back to the community.

According to the release, there is increasing evidence that links oral health to overall health and well-being. The signs and symptoms of over 100 medical conditions, including diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and oral cancer may first be detected through traditional oral examinations.

“Dental health is a vital part of a person’s overall health,” Goldesberry said. “Through this event, we hope to educate patients on the importance of dental health and encourage them to adopt an ongoing oral care regimen.”

During Free Dentistry Day, fillings and extractions will be provided to patients between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, the release said.

For more information, call 618-549-0208 or visit www.FreeDentistryDay.org.

“It’s very gratifying to see the impact that events like Free Dentistry Day can have on the life of a person,” Goldesberry said. “At the same time we’re changing their life, they’re changing ours.”

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Editor in Chief Emily Cooper can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @ECooper212.

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