A Thank You to Smile About: Grocery Store Workers Receive Free Dental Work

A Maple Grove dental clinic is donating to essential workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Friday, employees at Maple Grove Smiles Dentistry volunteered to donate services to grocery store workers who have been working during the pandemic.

“Anything a patient needs that I can provide same-day service is what I’m focusing on today,” explained Dr. Shalini Mittal from Maple Grove Smiles Dentistry.

The donation meant so much to 68-year-old Linda Neuberger. She works at the deli department of Cub Foods in Maple Grove. Neuberger says it’s been 10 years since she’s been to the dentist. She put off the expense because she’s a single mom who focused on others before herself.

Maple Grove Smiles Dentistry donates services to essential workers Friday

“There are other things that are important in my life than worrying about that,” said Neuberger.

However, she’s had to watch what she can eat because of the pain.

“I haven’t been able to eat hard food, potato chips, or anything like that just because the teeth are all gone,” said Neuberger.

Cost also factored into her decision to delay dentist visits.

“There are other things that are important in my life than worrying about that,” she said.

This was the 10th year of the Smile Generation Serve Day, a nationwide campaign to provide free dental care. Since its inception in 2011, more than 19,000 patients have received donated dental services totaling $32 million in oral health care.

Maple Grove