From 3-D to Reality: Joy Health Clinic can create dentures to help patients

By the grace of God, we all will grow old. The blessing of wisdom, experience, and age can also mean some of our original parts need work. Enter: dentures. 

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a set of dentures as “an artificial replacement for one or more teeth.” For decades, dentures were made with molds, took weeks to create, and had to include multiple visits to a dentist and orthodontic specialist. The latest technology in the world of dentures now includes three dimensional designs that can be made quicker, and more importantly, cheaper and without multiple visits to the dentist.

At the J.O.Y. Health Clinic in downtown Dublin, patients receive free assistance with their dental needs, a huge help for people who may not have dental insurance. The average cost of a family dental health plan in Georgia can range from $30-$150 per month, according to healthcare provider Humana. 

The mission of the clinic is to offer the hope and love of Christ through compassion. Dr. Erin Green, one of the dentists who sees patients inside the small brick building, says offering 3-D dentures to patients in need would be a life-altering way to serve the community. 

“We want to offer hope to our community,” said Green. “I love the idea of rallying people and letting them know, yes we have to remove teeth, but look at what we can do for your smile.” 

Green, who by every definition has a million-dollar smile worthy of a dentist, says fixing people’s tooth issues can change so many ways they feel about themselves. “That’s the provision God has provided in this clinic,” she said. “This could bless so many people.” 

Those blessings, amazing as they are, do not come free. 3-D printing a pair of dentures or replacement teeth (including implant crowns, partials, and night guards) is expensive because of the material needed to make the dentures following a scan of a patient’s mouth. It is cheaper than the old way, but still costly. 

Rita Green, no relation to Dr. Green, is the clinic director at the J.O.Y. Health Clinic. Both she and Dr. Green wants to get the word out that donations to the clinic will go a long way to making 3-D dentures and other services possible. They are looking to raise at least $50,000 in order to finance the dentures going forward and buy the 3-D printer that is needed before a single patient can be helped. Donations can be sent in a check to The J.O.Y. Clinic.

“The main benefit is the way we can get from point A to point B in a lot less time,” said Dr. Green. “The technology today allows us to turn it around in a day instead of after eight appointments.” 

Both ladies said they believe people in Dublin and greater Laurens County want to donate to the cause, just might not know how. 

“We have the patients who need the dentures, we have the space, we need the equipment,” Dr. Green said. 

The Joy Health Clinic is located at 410 Academy Street.