Providing Free Dental Care to Pennsylvania and Maryland Adults in October

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- United Concordia Dental, one of the nation's largest dental insurers, is partnering with Mission of Mercy (MOM) during National Dental Hygiene Month to provide a variety of free dental services to 80 adults in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

"October is National Oral Hygiene Month," said Jerome Blum, DDS,  United Concordia corporate dental director. "As part of our commitment to increase awareness of the connection between oral and overall health, we are working with MOM to provide free fillings and extractions as well as oral health education, to individuals with minimal or no insurance."

During the next four weeks, volunteer dentists and hygienists will provide free dental services to adults in Brunswick, Frederick, Reisterstown and Westminster, Md. and Harrisburg and Gettysburg, Pa.

"There's plenty of research out there that shows a link between oral health and other medical conditions in adults such as premature births, heart disease and stroke, diabetes and more," said Dr. Blum. "Today, more than one third of American adults have periodontitis while about half have the less-severe gingivitis. For this reason and several others, United Concordia takes the oral health of the communities we serve very seriously."

"For every American without health insurance, there are two without dental coverage (over 108 million)," said David Liddle, Mission of Mercy executive director. "For the uninsured, dental care has become an 'out-of-reach luxury' rather than part of one's primary health care. The cost to self-pay for dental care is out of reach for the thousands of uninsured working poor that Mission of Mercy serves. We are honored to partner with United Concordia to bring dental care to the needy of Maryland and Pennsylvania."

United Concordia expects to help deliver more than $1 million in free care to the uninsured and underinsured this year at 80 events across the United States.

SOURCE United Concordia Dental