While Senator Warner was at Northern Virginia Community College this morning, he stopped by the Northern Virginia Dental Society’s Mission of Mercy dental clinic.

This was the seventh year that Northern Virginia's health care community came together to provide free dental care for thousands of Virginia families who can't afford to visit a dentist on their own.

Approximately 800 low-income residents are expected to stop by NVCC's Medical Education Campus in Fairfax to take advantage of the dental care provided during two-day clinic, and more than 200 dentists, hygienists, assistants, residents, and dental students are donating their time and expertise. Patients waited in line to receive care for everything from routine teeth cleaning to deep root canals.

Senator Warner visited with patients, their families, and the health professionals who were donating their time, praising the collaborative efforts of the Northern Virginia Dental Society, Northern Virginia Community College, Northern Virginia Dental Hygienist Association, Virginia Commonwealth University’s dental school, Northern Virginia Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and other volunteers and donors.

"It's a fabulous program," one of the dentists, who has volunteered every year for the past five years, told us.  "It's one of the most rewarding places to come and work."

“This is health care delivery in its purest form, and many of these health care professionals tell me they look forward to these Mission of Mercy events all year,” Senator Warner said. "I thank them for their willingness to serve the medically-underserved community in this way."