Vatican offers free dental care for poor of Rome

Signatories to the agreement

Source: Vatican News

The Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Charity has teamed up with a Roman clinic and university to provide free dental care for the poor. An agreement was signed between the Dicastery, UniCamillus University, and the Our Lady of Trust clinic last Thursday.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, said that the agreement allows people in financial difficulty can turn to the Mother of Mercy Outpatient Clinic. After an initial checkup, they will receive the necessary treatment at the Madonna della Fiducia Clinic in Rome's Appio Latino neighbourhood.

The dental service starts this month. It is an additional health service to those already provided at the Santa Marta Dispensary in the Vatican, such as showers, distribution of food, and medical care.

The Mother of Mercy facility is run by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, which was established in 2015 on the instructions of Pope Francis.

Sixty doctors, nurses, and other volunteers make it possible for more than 6,000 people to receive free healthcare every year.

World Day of the Poor takes place on 19 November. The Pope's message for the World Day is "Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor."

He invites us all to show concern for the poor "marked by Gospel realism" - which translates into practical actions: "meeting the concrete needs of our brothers and sisters."