10 years of The Helping Hands Dental Clinic
Madison Indiana, The Salvation Army of Madison Indiana celebrated 10 years of dental clinic operations. Since 2008, The Salvation Army has been meeting the dental needs of those without dental insurance in Jefferson County. The Salvation Army has a rich history of serving the medical needs of those in America. While in America the idea of The Salvation Army and medical care, such as hospitals, are a thing of the past, The Salvation Army in Madison Indiana has been operating their onsite dental clinic for the last ten years.
Through the work of the local dentist and vision of The Salvation Army officers, the dental clinic was opened. In 2008, the Community Foundation of Jefferson County was instrumental in the opening of this ministry, providing a $25,000 grant. Furthermore, dentists from across the state of Indiana provided nearly $80,000 worth of equipment, and now 10 years later, that investment has resulted in nearly $1,000,000 in service donated back to the community.
Dr. Bob Canida, one of the volunteer dentist shared this, “I think this stands as a testament to the dental community of how we can take what we have been richly blessed with and give it back.” He continued to say, “I would travel overseas and meet the needs of those who didn’t have access to dental care. I would see people in great pain and in a moment I could take that pain away. I would come home and knew I could do more here. When The Salvation Army approached me with this idea, I knew it was the Lord and I had to act. Now here we are 10 years later serving those in our home town who are without access to dental care.”
During its 10 years of operations, the clinic has served countless clients with a variety of needs. One such need was a woman who needed teeth removed before the hospital would clear her for cancer treatment. The clinic provided $4,000 worth of work, free of charge, and today she is receiving the treatment she needed to save her life.
Dr. Bob is one of several dentists who have volunteered their time to serve the community through The Salvation Army’s dental clinic. One other such dentist is the late Dr. Lee “Gus” Dunker who was the very first dentist to serve in the clinic in October 2008. His faithfulness to the marginalized in Madison Indiana has been felt by many and while his presence is well missed his spirit of service and generosity lives on at The Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army is committed to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination. Within the 131 counties, The Salvation Army presently serves, the common theme for all is their love of Christ and desire to serve the needs of all. The Salvation Army of Madison Indiana has taken this desire to serve Christ and others and brought it to life in their dental clinic.
You can make an impact with your time, talents, and treasures at The Salvation Army. To learn more visit samadison.org