Jeanne Burns was standing in line outside the Connecticut Mission of Mercy free dental clinic at Western Connecticut State University, book in hand.It was about 11 a.m. Friday, and it was Burns' second go-round at the clinic's line.
"I got here at 2:30 a.m. and they'll only do one procedure at a time,'' Burns, of Danbury, said.
So after the volunteer dentists pulled one of her teeth, Burns waited a bit, then got back in line for more help.
"I have no dental insurance, no health insurance and I've been under-employed for six years,'' she said, explaining her need to be there.
The need at the clinic Friday was obvious.
People came from as far away as New Hampshire and Georgia to get the care they need and cannot afford. There were 400 people in line when the clinic opened its doors at 6 a.m.
By 11 a.m., the number of patients had topped 900.
"On one hand, it angers me that we have such a need,'' said Dr. Jonathan Knapp, a Bethel dentist who has helped organize the event -- the fifth held in the state since 2008. "But it's uplifting to know these people will get the help they need.''
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