WJXT Helps Improve 3,000 Smiles For Free

WJXT’s Positively Jax partnership with the Florida Dental Association Foundation helped provide nearly 3,000 people with urgently needed dental care at no cost to the patients, according the station. WJXT is an independent station in Jacksonville, Fla., owned by Graham Media.

The Florida Mission of Mercy, a two-day free dental clinic, offered dental examinations, fillings, tooth extractions, root canal treatment, children’s dentistry, temporary partial dentures and dental cleanings. The dental care donated is valued at more than $2.7 million.

“I’ve waited for this all my life. Oh my God, I can’t believe it,” said Wanda George after getting out of the dental chair.

When first evaluated, George was told her teeth were probably too far gone to save. But when Dr. Richard Caven heard that George was getting married in a few months, he worked to save her teeth.

“That definitely makes me say, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to get this one right,’” Craven said.

WJXT plans to follow up on George’s story during her wedding in July.

“The ability of WJXT to get the word out and reach the dentally underserved,” said Dr. Roger Robinson, one of the event’s organizers, “was absolutely astonishing as witnessed by the tremendous turnout of dental patients on both days.”

More than 2,400 volunteers came from all over the state to fix the smiles of Jacksonville-area residents who could not otherwise afford it.

“The smiles said it all,” said Bob Ellis, WJXT’s general manager. “We are so proud to serve our community and will look for more opportunities to use our voice as Jacksonville’s true local TV station to make our community a better place to live.”