Conway doctor previews 18th annual Mission of Mercy free dental clinic, expects large regional turnout

Dr. Terry Fidler told the Conway City Council on Feb. 25 that the 18th annual Mission of Mercy free dental clinic is planned for April at the Conway Expo Center and will bring thousands of patients and volunteer medical staff to Conway.

Fidler said the program — which provides free dental care — has served roughly 27,200 patients and delivered about $17,900,000 worth of dentistry over the life of the project. “We plan on we'll have probably between 4,500 people will be here for the weekend,” he said, adding the Conway-specific turnout for clinic services is likely to be smaller: “we will probably see somewhere around 1,400 to 1,800 patients.”

The update, delivered during the council’s regular meeting, explained the event mobilizes dentists, physicians, dental assistants and hygienists and relies on hundreds of volunteers. Fidler said the team spent about $49,000 locally during an initial procurement step and that last year the local effort’s expenditures in Conway totaled roughly $257,000. He noted the clinic draws patients from multiple states and gave an example: “for $139 she got $5,000 worth of free dentistry.”

Fidler also told the council a large family foundation has contacted organizers and that the foundation intends to profile the Conway event in a forthcoming public piece; he said the city government would share that information once it is released. City leaders thanked Fidler and his volunteers for the service and for what the mayor described as “reaching out and helping people.”

The council did not take formal action on the update. The presentation provided timeline and attendance estimates and flagged potential national exposure for Conway tied to the foundation’s interest.