Thousands of needy Kansans — most of them sweating and nursing toothaches — will converge on Kansas Speedway this weekend for a chance at free dental care.

“We’re expecting to see a thousand (people) on Friday, a thousand on Saturday and 500 or so on Sunday,” said Michelle Rega, a dentist at the Douglas County Dental Clinic in Lawrence.

Rega is a co-chairwoman of the committee that’s behind Kansas Mission of Mercy, an effort to bring together dentists, hygienists and assistants willing to donate their services and people who need them.

This is the group’s second gathering. The first, held in February in Garden City, involved more than 200 volunteers and resulted in 1,733 adults and children receiving care.

Rega strongly encouraged those seeking services to arrive early and be prepared to wait.

“Once we reach a thousand people (on Friday and Saturday), we’ll have to turn people away,” Rega said. “A thousand is all we can see in a day.” Sunday’s intake will be limited to about 500.

All people wanting the care will be eligible, but services will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis, starting at 7 a.m. Rega said she expected each day’s slots would be filled by 8 a.m.

At the Garden City event, people were standing in line in the snow at 3 a.m.

Plans call for setting up 60 dental chairs in two garages at the racetrack. The garages are not air-conditioned.

Lawrence Dentist Michelle Rega cleans the teeth of Kelsey Coleman, 12, at the Douglas County Free Dental Clinic, 4920 W. 15th St. Rega is taking part in a free dental clinic this weekend at the Kansas Speedway. The clinic's goal is to provide services to some 2,500 poor and uninsured Kansans. Stephanie Hodge, at rear left, a dental-hygiene student, watched the cleaning on Wednesday.

“We’ll do everything we can to keep people cool,” Rega said. “But, yes, it will be hot.”

Rega said services would be limited to cleanings, filling cavities and extractions.

Services will be provided by 140 dentists, 120 dental assistants, and 90 hygienists — all volunteers from across the region.

Rega said Kansas Mission of Mercy chose the racetrack because its parking lots can best handle the expected crowds.

“And they’ve been very generous,” she said.

“Too expensive”

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State surveys have found that thousands of Kansans go without dental care because their employers don’t offer health insurance or their dental-coverage premiums are too expensive.

In Kansas, children in families poor enough to qualify for Medicaid are eligible for dental care; their parents are not.

“We expect to see a lot of people who’ve been in quite a bit of pain for quite a while,” Rega said. “That’s what happened in Garden City.”

Sean O’Neal, 26, spent part of Wednesday afternoon at the Douglas County Dental Clinic, 4920 W. 15th St.

“Where I was working — it was a small body shop — they wanted $150 a week for dental (coverage). But I was only making $275 a week,” O’Neal said. “The insurance company was gouging the small business. So, yeah, it was there, but I couldn’t afford it.”

That was all right, he said, until he came down with a toothache.

“Man, I’m in pain,” he said. “It’s a molar, it’s gotta come out.”

Lisa Young, 25, and her three children were in clinic’s waiting room, too.

“My husband’s employer had to drop dental and vision,” she said. “It got too expensive.”

In Lawrence, many adults are in the same boat.

“Before (Douglas County Dental Clinic) opened, we received between 25 and 50 phone calls a month from people seeking dental care,” said Nikki Rhea, executive director at Health Care Access, a Lawrence clinic for the uninsured.

“Back then, we could fill 25 appointments on a first-come-first-serve basis, starting on the first of the month,” Rhea said. “I don’t think it ever took more than two days to fill those 25 slots.”

Volunteers

At least two Lawrence dentists — Jose Lopez-Reyes and N. Daniel Ranjbar — have volunteered for Kansas Mission of Mercy.

“I heard about what happened in Garden City,” said Ranjbar, an orthodontist. “So when I found out they were going to do it Kansas City, I said ‘Count me in.'”

Five of Ranjbar’s staff also will be going, he said.

“All of us feel very strongly that this is something that needs to be done,” he said. “Thank goodness we have the opportunity to help.”