SALISBURY, Md.- People in need of dental care wrapped around the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury to get a preregistration wristband wrapped around their hands.
But some people came a tad bit too late.
"You got people who got off their jobs," said Paul Brown, of Salisbury, while waiting in line. "You got people who took off just to be here today and now they are being turned away."
Brown is talking about a crowd of people who were turned away because the clinic simply could not register them all.
A volunteer for the clinic walked out to address the crowd of confused people.
"We can't pre-screen anymore than we've already taken, for today." He went on to say, "It's time to go. But you can come tomorrow morning and get into the regular line."
If you take a look at the Eastern Shore Mission of Mercy's website, it does give a warning to clinic goers and says the line could form overnight, so it is first-come, first-served.
"I was getting mixed signals about what time we were suppose to be, how you are suppose to get here," Brown said. "So I knew it was today, so what I did was come out here 5 o'clock this morning."
Brown was registered Thursday, and is one step closer to seeing a dentist.
He's not alone. More than 1,200 will sit in a chair to absolutely free dental services.
"Right now times are tough and people are hurting and we know that," said Chairman Dr. Gregory Allen, of Mission of Mercy. "So this is an attempt to address that issue."
Patients can also get breast cancer screenings, prostate cancer screenings and even a new pair of eyeglasses.
The clinic will run Friday and Saturday. Doors will open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.
(Photo: WBOC)
