Yesterday, my mom and I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the Colorado Mission of Mercy, also known as COMOM. COMOM is a dental event that occurs annually and provides free dental care to those who cannot afford or access it. From dentures and flippers to extractions to basic cleanings and oral hygiene information, COMOM does a wonderful job getting people the help they need.
My mom and I volunteered in the oral hygiene education department, so we were responsible for educating people on how to care for their extraction sites and how to care for their mouth in general. We discussed proper brushing and flossing techniques, the best products to use, and addressed any questions that patients had.
As a pre-dental student, I was worried that I wouldn’t know enough to help the patients. I’m very thankful to have a mom in the dental field because she has taught me so much about everything, so I feel like I was educated enough to provide patients with proper home care instructions and advice. So many of the people were so grateful and I just hope that I was able to give them enough information to take care of themselves and improve their dental health. I imagine that many of the patients are unable to regularly see a dentist or afford one, so for some of them, COMOM is the only dental help they receive.
It’s saddening to know that some people can’t even afford dental help and I wish that there were ways to make dental care more affordable for all. Everyone deserves to feel good about their smile and I’m glad that at least COMOM can give people that opportunity. There were so many good people, doctors and patients, and it was incredibly humbling to be around so many good people.
At COMOM, there were so many oral surgeons, hygienists, dentists, dental assistants and students, and other dental specialists who dedicated their time to volunteer and I thank each and every one of them for being there. A big event like COMOM would never function without the organization and help of all the volunteers. Some people wouldn’t get the dental help they need without COMOM, so I’m very glad to know that something as amazing as the Colorado Mission of Mercy exists.
If you live in Colorado and are interested in dentistry, I highly recommend volunteering at this wonderful event. Next year, COMOM will be in Glenwood Springs on October 4th and 5th, so if you are available, please consider helping out. If you would like to learn more about COMOM and their mission, please check out their website.
I look forward to helping out at COMOM in the years to come. I know that it makes such a difference in the lives of many and it’s great to know that so many people benefit from it. There is so much to be thankful for in life and I ask you all to keep this in mind as you move along in your lives. Have a wonderful week. 🙂