Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- Over 2,700 people made their way to the South Carolina State Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday for the SC Mission 2012.
During the event, Midlands and the South Carolina Dental Association's Dental Access Days provided free medical, dental and eye care to people around the Midlands in an effort to meet the critical health care needs of people in the community who are uninsured.
According to Jennifer Wilson, Mission 2012 Public Relations Chair, "More than 17% of South Carolinians do not have health insurance. In surveys, the inability to afford health care is rated as the most serious problem faced by residents of Lexington and Richland counties."
Patients could recieve medical care that included urgent care, diagnosis of acute and chronic medical conditions, preventative health screenings and referrals, mobile mammography, X-rays, electrocardiograms and HIV testing. Dental services, which was the busiest section at the event, included education, cleaning, fillings and extractions. Vision offered comprehensive eye care, examination and eyeglasses.
According to SC Mission 2012 officials, the following is the total number of patients seen for both Friday and Saturday:
Medical Patients: 615
Dental Patients: 1,456
Eye Patients: 459
Eyeglasses: 206
Mammograms: 126
HIV Tests: 40
Prescriptions Filled: 445
X-Ray: 74
John Kessler, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at Providence Hospitals says, "This was an incredible effort between partnering organizations and more than 1,500 clinical and non-clinical volunteers who made an event like this possible."