Dentists offer services for free

Several dentists in our area were able to put smiles on a lot of faces Saturday by volunteering their services to those who wouldn’t normally be able to afford them.

Dozens queued outside Towne Square Dental in Rigby early Saturday morning for a shot at free dental work.

“First person in line was at 2:30 this morning,” said Dr. Dwight Baker.

“I think we had 50 people in the parking lot at 7 a.m. this morning,” said Dr. Richard George.

Like many of the people who turned out Saturday, Dustin Wolfensberger said he doesn’t have the money to see a dentist on a regular basis. In fact, this is the first time he’s seen a dentist in seven years.

“Been a while, and if you put it off … you’ll lose your teeth before you know it,” said Wolfensberger.

Baker said some of the people he saw Saturday came just in the nick of time.

“They just haven’t been to the dentist in a while, and so they’ll have some pretty extensive decay, and try to take care of some of that decay and they have pain, and that’s probably their biggest problem they’re having,” said Baker.

Dentists say being able to solve these problems is a greater reward than any paycheck.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to give to those people that need dentistry and don’t have another way to receive it,” said Dr. Boone Allen.

George and other dentists said they’re thinking of doing this every year.