MINT dentistry’s goal of putting smiles on people’s faces doesn’t stop during a pandemic: To help a community in need, the dentistry practice is providing groceries for people who are experiencing food insecurity. MINT dentistry founder Dr. Field Harrison and his wife, Sabrina Harrison, have joined employees and volunteers to give away boxes of groceries to people who line up in their cars at a MINT grocery giveaway, an initiative the dentistry practice has been doing on Saturdays. This week’s giveaway is at the MINT dentistry office in Garland, at 4441 Bass Pro Drive, #200, on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Need groceries? Just show up,” Dr. Harrison said. “We just wanted to do our very small part and try to help people out.”
During the event, 500 boxes of groceries purchased by MINT from Minnie’s Food Pantry will be given away, each containing a week’s worth of food. People can simply line up in their vehicles to receive a box (touch-free, from volunteers wearing masks), and a message of hope. Each box contains a week’s worth of meals and includes non-perishable items like spaghetti, rice, peanut butter, canned goods and more. The box also contains something important for a healthy smile: a full-sized tube of toothpaste from MINT dentistry.
Dr. Harrison and Sabrina have been shocked at reports on the news about all the people who have lost jobs and are hungry due to this pandemic. They immediately decided that they needed to help, and devised a plan for MINT dentistry to fund grocery giveaways from Minnie’s Food Pantry at MINT dentistry offices. Through several weeks of grocery giveaways, MINT dentistry has provided more than 2,000 boxes of food to local citizens in need.
Though the cause of hunger is serious, the grocery giveaway events have a celebratory vibe: MINT dentistry employs a local DJ to play music, volunteers dance while they assist, and people hold signs with messages like “We Love You.” There are smiles all around, waves from volunteers, and honks from appreciative recipients, who find something else in their box when they arrive home – a personal message from MINT dentistry that expresses best wishes and a prayer for the recipients of the box.
Through his community service and through his dental work, Dr. Harrison is passionate about healing pain—whether that’s dental pain, spiritual pain, mental pain, loss of dignity, or financial pain. Even before he graduated from dental school, Dr. Harrison was volunteering in a clinic offering free dental care in South Dallas, and traveling to Romania with other doctors and dentists to end a village's suffering with tooth and jaw pain. Since founding MINT dentistry with the conviction that outstanding dental care should be affordable to everyone, Dr. Harrison continues to give back, including providing free dental care to soldiers who've suffered grievous tooth and jaw injuries in combat. Dr. Harrison and Sabrina Harrison are devout Christians who welcome those of all faiths, and who believe strongly in giving back to their communities.
Dr. Harrison encourages everyone to continue their regular dental check-ups because regular dental care is one of the best things you can do for your immune system.
“Having your teeth cleaned and controlling the bacteria in your mouth helps protect you from systemic diseases and boost your immune system,” Dr. Harrison explained. “We are encouraging everyone to do what they can to keep themselves healthy, which is incredibly important right now.”
MINT dentistry has also started offering more appointment availability by taking Saturday appointments. Because dentist offices were closed due to quarantine for so many weeks, many people are struggling to get in to see their dentist. To help provide availability to top-notch dental care, MINT dentistry has created additional appointment options to accommodate more patients.
Since its opening in 2009, MINT dentistry has been at the forefront of every major advance in dentistry. MINT dentistry was among the first adopters of the new IMAX porcelain veneers, the first to introduce team dentistry, the first to combine iPads with movies and leather massage chairs, the first to take the fear out of dentistry, the first to offer luxury dentistry that is truly affordable, and the first to bring the price of veneers down to earth. MINT dentistry now has more than 50 locations in Dallas and Houston, with skilled support staff that have introduced discount and dental insurance to thousands without insurance or those whose insurance has let them down. MINT dentistry has been named the “Best Family Dentist” two years in a row by Consumer’s Choice and has earned more than 36,000 5-star Google reviews. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, visit MINTdentistry.com or call 214-821-MINT