It was a dark and stormy morning… but Dr. Greg S. Phillips & Associates and their team of dedicated volunteers were determined to make the recent Dentistry from the Heart event a success.

Eager patients without access to dental care began lining up at 4:30 a.m. on in anticipation of the 7:30 a.m. registration time. Thanks to the generosity of St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, a giant festival tent was ready and waiting to protect them from the elements. Patients were seen on a first-come, first-served basis, and allowed to choose to have an extraction, filling or cleaning. By the time the 110th patient completed treatment at 6 p.m., final numbers included:

• 29 fillings

• 47 extractions

• 34 cleanings

• 76 x-rays

• Adding up to $23,366 worth of free dental services.

Dr. Greg Phillips & Associates is already planning its second annual Dentistry from the Heart event in spring 2013.