Edmonds dentist plans free day of care
Published 10:56 pm Tuesday, February 24, 2009
EDMONDS — An Edmonds dentist has a sweet deal that should put a smile on people’s faces.
Edmonds Woodway Dental Care will provide free dental work on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
“This is our way of helping take care of our neighbors,” said Dr. Michael Hrankowski, who has been a dentist since 1982 and has been in Edmonds for the past two years.
Hrankowski said he periodically offered a similar day of free dentistry when he operated an office in Seattle.
“It surprised me how fast the word got around,” he said. “We are anticipating a large crowd.”
There could be more patients than the clinic is able to treat, he warned.
To accommodate as many people as possible, dental staff will provide only procedures that can be accomplished in one appointment. There is a limit of one procedure per person, he said.
Those procedures typically include cleanings, extractions and fillings.
Hrankowski said he has enlisted the help of other dental professionals who wanted to volunteer for the day. A second dentist has expressed an interest in helping, as have other dental assistants. The office has four dental chairs.
Patients will need to provide their health history and sign a consent form.
The clinic at 21810 76th Ave. W., Suite 102, focuses on adults, but children who have visited a dentist before can be served during the free clinic.
Other local dentists have offered similar free days of care in the past, said Judy Bangs, staff executive for the Snohomish County Dental Association.
“A lot of times, it happens quietly,” she said.
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and this is a time of year when many dentists around the state offer to help young people with their dental care, said Dave Hemion, assistant executive director for the Washington State Dental Society.
“It’s good that folks that do need that care and are having a hard time can get the help,” he said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
