Nearly 200 patients get free dental care at Virginia Special Olympics event

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Volunteer dentists provided nearly 200 patients with more than 700 free procedures during a Virginia Special Olympics event on Saturday.

On Saturday, June 7, the 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games were held at the University of Richmond. Alongside these festivities, the Virginia Dental Association Foundation's (VDAF) Mission of Mercy (MOM) program hosted its "Special Smiles" free dental care event.

A total of 737 dental procedures were provided to 191 patients throughout the day, according to the VDAF. The value of that care is estimated to be over $56,000.

This year's event was staffed by volunteers from the VDAF, Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) School of Dentistry and the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.

"Special Smiles" first began in 2011 and is offered through the VDAF MOM's partnership with Special Olympics Virginia. According to the VDAF, said partnership was forged, in part, to help those with disabilities receive dental care.

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"Special Olympics Virginia supports Healthy Athletes and Healthy Communities for individuals with disabilities," the VDAF said in a press release. "Individuals with intellectual disabilities often encounter additional barriers to health care in comparison to the general population. Inclusive health is a goal of Special Olympics Virginia."

MOM's purpose is to provide preventative, restorative and surgical dental care to underserved communities. You can learn more about the VDAF and its MOM program online.