If you passed the Advance Family Dentistry office on Wooster Pike today, you may have noticed a long line snaking through the parking lot.
Each of those people are hoping to get a free appointment for filings, extractions or cleanings from this practice on "Dentistry From The Heart" day.
The practice hopes to treat at least 100 "free" patients.
The dental staff guesses they're seeing at least twice as many patients during the free dentistry day this year than during last year's event.
They suspect the recession and job losses are making demand for free care skyrocket.
"There is no doubt that they are putting off their normal dental care and waiting until they're more urgent," Dr. Scott Sayre of Advance Family Dentistry said. "It can create a lot more pain. It can create more infection and it can become serious."
Some studies say continuing dental infections can increase the risk for heart attacks and other medical problems.
The waiting patients say, even with waiting hours in line for care, they still feel lucky, compared with friends who can't be here today.
Ellen Patton is one of the many in line today. "A lot of my friends are just letting their teeth rot out. They're hoping that -- one day -- Medicaid or Medicare will take care of new dentures."
Dr. Sayre says that during the 8 hours he will be open, he hopes to see as many of these patients as possible. That should mean that just about all these patients already in line should be able to get in the dental appointments they've been hoping for.
