Tooele native Stacie Vazquez knows how challenging it can be to make ends meet.
Now a dental assistant at Apex Dental in Stansbury Park, Vazquez was a single mother who found it difficult to find the money at times to get herself and her son the dental care they needed.
Thus, Vazquez wanted to find a way to help others in the same situation in her local community. She began the planning stages for “Smiles for Success,” Apex’s free dental day that will take place at its offices in Stansbury Park, Sandy and Orem on Saturday.
“I remember being a single mom and not being able to afford dental insurance for myself and taking care of my son,” she said. “They didn’t have this kind of stuff when I was raising my son. I think for the single parents, this is going to be a really good deal.”
Vazquez has been the catalyst behind “Smiles for Success,” according to her colleague, Dr. David Clonts. Joe Maio, Apex Dental’s CEO, noted that Vazquez’s initial idea helped lead to the event taking place in three locations at once.
The event will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Apex’s offices at 263 Country Club Dr., Suite 103. Patients can choose between having a filling, a tooth extraction or a cleaning free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Just come in and we’ll take care of you,” said Clonts, one of three dentists who will be lending his expertise to the cause on Saturday.
Clonts will be joined by Dr. Peter Emmons, who also works out of Apex’s Stansbury Park office, as well as Dr. John Kwant of Apex’s Riverton office.
“Oftentimes in dentistry, people can have a toothache or something going on in their mouth and they don’t address it because their own personal life may not be where they want it to be,” Maio said. “Something as simple as getting a tooth fixed can be life-changing and get them started on their own success path. It’s really about serving the community that has served us so well over the past few years.”
A number of local businesses have made donations to help the cause, including Birch Family Pharmacy, which will provide prescriptions free of charge to those who have procedures performed by Apex Dental on Saturday. There also will be a bounce house to keep children entertained, as well as a number of Salt Lake City radio and television stations.
The event’s primary objective is to give back to the community by providing dental care to those who may not otherwise be able to afford it, Maio said. More than 1,000 fliers for the event were distributed during Tooele’s Fourth of July parade in an effort to spread the word.
Vazquez said that while Saturday promises to be a busy day, the ability to help those in need will make the effort more than worthwhile.
“We’re excited — we can’t wait,” she said. “I’ll be feeling it on Sunday, but it’ll be good. It will definitely be way worth it in the end.”
Apex hopes to serve approximately 200 patients at each of the three locations, Maio said.
“Our goal is to make this the biggest free dental day ever seen in the state of Utah,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of success over the years, and our success is based on the community coming to us for their needs. We want to return the favor and pay it forward to [our patients].”
dvaughan@tooeletranscript.com