The Arizona Dental Cares Foundation will host its 11th annual Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy in Phoenix this month.

More than 300 volunteer dentists and a support staff of 1,200 including dental hygienists, dental assistants, translators, lab and medical personnel, data entry, and other volunteers will transform Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum into a large-scale dental clinic. Adults and children can get a total of $2 million in critical dental work done at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event goes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9, on the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Gates open at 5 a.m.

The dental professionals will use 100 portable dental units to focus on relieving pain and infection. Dental services such as fillings, extractions and cleanings, as well as limited lab work, will be provided to patients of all ages.

Guests will not be allowed to stay in line overnight or sleep overnight at the fairgrounds. Clinic services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with approximately 30 patients being admitted every 30 minutes.

Patients should line up and enter on the west side of the coliseum.

“While we’ve been providing dental services through AZMOM for a decade, the lines don’t get shorter,” Kevin Earle, AzDA Cares board president, shared in a press release. “Dental challenges often prevent people from being able to eat nutritiously, apply for many types of jobs, or socially connect. Sadly, we see the most significant need for preventative dental treatment amongst our most vulnerable populations – the elderly, veterans, and children.”

AzDA Cares relies on sponsorships from a variety of organizations including Delta Dental Foundation, AzDA Perks, Arizona Dental Association, United Concordia, Henry Schein Foundation, Patterson Foundation, Alliance Bank, and numerous other corporate sponsors and individual donors.

Support the event by visiting https://azdacares.org/mission-of-mercy/.