Volunteers needed for Mission of Mercy’s free dental, vision and hearing clinic

PITTSBURGH — Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh is calling for volunteers to support its free dental, vision and hearing clinic.

The annual event, scheduled for Oct. 24-25 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, provides essential health services to individuals who lack access to or cannot afford regular care. Volunteers needed include dentists, hygienists/dental assistants, dental students/faculty, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners, physicians and PAs, lab techs, radiology, optometrists, ophthalmologists and audiologists.

“Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh brings together individuals willing to serve others who are less fortunate,” said Keith Young, board member of Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh. “It is absolutely amazing for our volunteers to be able to relieve their patients’ pain or allow them to hear better or get eyeglasses to see more clearly.”

Dental professionals volunteering at the clinic can earn up to three hours of Continuing Education Credits, thanks to the Dental Continuing Education Credits for Charitable Volunteerism Bill passed in 2023. This incentive aims to attract more dental professionals to participate, as their involvement directly impacts the number of patients the clinic can serve.

In 2024, the clinic provided over $2.3 million in free services to 1,676 individuals. Volunteers performed 9,374 dental procedures and provided 693 eye exams and 401 hearing exams. Additionally, 552 pairs of eyeglasses and 586 hearing aids were distributed at no cost.

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh has been operating since 2017, and in that time, it has delivered $9.2 million in services to 8,941 patients. The organization relies heavily on the support of nearly 2,000 volunteers each year to make the event successful.

General volunteers are also essential to the clinic’s success, assisting with tasks such as hospitality, check-in and administrative duties. No clinical experience is required for these roles, and volunteers will receive training and meals during the event.

Learn more and register as a volunteer at  www.MoMPgh.org/volunteer/.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group