An array of Loyola volunteers are going to work together to set up a free dental clinic ready to serve more than 1,000 people in New Orleans.
This year for Wolves on the Prowl, Loyola’s national day of community service, Loyola has partnered with the American Dental Association.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, volunteers will dedicate themselves to set up a free and open dental clinic, to be fully operational the very next day on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Wolves on the Prowl is a national day of service that opens volunteer opportunities to Loyola Alumni Association chapters across the country. All Loyola students are instantly a part of the Alumni Association upon their graduation.
The American Dental Association’s Mission of Mercy will conduct the medical procedures for free as a part of the Jesuit national day of service. People seeking dental care will be treated according to their needs and will gain treatment appropriate to the constraints of a one-day clinic.
Students, alumni, faculty and staff, have all registered to vounteer for the event. They will arrange dental equipment and create informational health care packages for patients.
Associate Chaplain for Service and Justice Programs Joe Deegan explained the way volunteers will impact the city.
“In the course of eight hours, Loyola volunteers will transform an empty ballroom at Mardi Gras World into a fully functioning, 120-chair dental clinic capable of serving 1,000 patients per day,” Deegan said.
Assistant director of Alumni Relations Laurie Leiva said that the American Dental Association has organized for more then 200 children, from five different parishes neighboring New Orleans, to be bused into the city for the clinic on Sunday.
“It has the potential to be so life changing,” Leiva said. “If people are missing teeth, imagine how hard it is to get a job or even have an interview.”
Deegan said that the demand for volunteers had been supplied to maximum capacity, with more than 200 volunteers registered.
“It is very rare that we get to contribute to something that’s going to impact so many people in New Orleans,” Deegan said.
“More than one thousand people will be directly served by this clinic when it’s in operation.”
“It’s an exciting opportunity to be working side-by-side with current students, alumni, faculty and staff, all to accomplish this one really big task and all at the same time, I think it will be a really great project,” Deegan said.
“The ADA and Mission of Mercy speak so passionately about this event because it requires them to work together,” Leiva said.
During the day of service, the alumni association will also announce the Loyola Connect competition winner. The competition is between 13 student organizations hoping to fund their project proposals. The winning student organization will receive $5,000 to support a service project. Voting ends at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Jessica DeBold can be reached at [email protected]
