Stephen Heiden camped out the afternoon before the Mission of Mercy free dental program opened its doors at 6 a.m. Friday.

The La Crosse man wanted to make sure he was seen by one of the hundreds of dental professionals volunteering their time and skills in the first of its kind program in Wisconsin.

He couldn’t remember that last time he had seen a dentist, but he recalled one tooth extraction cost him $330.

“Before that, a long time ago, I had an extraction for $60,” Heiden said. “It had gotten to the point that I really needed to see a dentist and couldn’t afford it.”

He said he has a job that pays $9 an hour, but he has no medical or dental insurance.

“My bills I can afford to pay, but that’s about it,” Heiden said.

Heiden waited at the head of the line for 13 hours until the doors opened for the first of two days of the dental project. He was the first to be seen by a dentist, and he proudly kept his No. 1 card.

“He really needed to be seen,” said Karen Spitzer, a La Crosse dentist who filled six cavities for Heiden to start her day.

Spitzer said she could only spend a maximum 45 minutes per patient, but advised Heiden that he could go to the end of line and come through process again for more care.

That’s exactly what he did.

Heiden said he even waited longer so he could see Spitzer again. She filled a few more cavities for him.

“I’ve seen a lot of cavities, and I’ve pulled a lot of teeth,” Spitzer said. “I pulled 13 on my last patient.

“It’s been very rewarding,” she said. “I’ve had patients cry, and I received a lot of hugs.”

Heiden said he had nine cavities filled. He was especially worried about a front tooth.

“If I didn’t have this opportunity, I could have lost that tooth,” he said.

He said he couldn’t believe all the help he received and how he was treated with dignity and respect.

“I have not felt good about my smile,” Heiden said. “Actually I felt ashamed of it.”

Heiden said he hopes to start seeing a dentist regularly.

“I don’t want dentures. Now I hope I’m able to keep my own teeth,” he said.

Heiden was so grateful, he became a volunteer that day at the dental project and ran errands and escorted other patients.

He returned the next day, his 45th birthday, to volunteer again.

Someone brought candles to light on a piece of cake, and others sang “Happy Birthday” to him.

“I wanted to help someone else to give back for the help I received,” Heiden said. “This has been the most amazing gift I have been given.”

It’s amazing to me that dental care can be a gift when it should be a right. Stand up and tell your legislators that dental access should be a priority.

Government promised low-income people dental care and has yet to deliver.

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