Greenway Family Dental clinic in Middleton. In April, Dr. Tataje’s Mercy Dental Group hosted its second annual Day of Mercy, a day of free procedures for those in need. Right, a patient is seen at the
Greenway clinic. (Catholic Herald photos/Graham Mueller)
Mercy Dental Group recently held its second annual Day of Mercy, a day focused on providing free procedures to individuals who otherwise go without dental care.
Spread over the group’s two Days of Mercy, the Catholic-led dental group has been able to provide 313 procedures for free, which has totaled more than $52,000 in donated services.
This year’s event was held in April at the Greenway Family Dental clinic, located in Middleton. It’s one of nine clinics within the Mercy Dental Group family, with locations in Madison and the surrounding area.
To help coordinate the event, Mercy Dental Group worked in collaboration with the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) in Madison.
To ‘touch Christ’
Mercy Dental Group is owned and led by Dr. Dan Tataje, a parishioner of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison, part of Divine Mercy Pastorate.
Dr. Tataje was happy his dental clinics were able to come together for a second time to help those in need.
He said, “Inspiring work, things like the Day of Mercy, we use for [staff] to get more involved, to give back.”
The Day was more than just a way to unite staff from Mercy Dental’s nine clinics, though. Rather, the Day of Mercy served as a way to “touch Christ, to be closer to the people in need,” explained Dr. Tataje.
Throughout the day, Dr. Tataje went between the CMC and the Greenway clinic. Because he wasn’t practicing, he was able to watch and ensure everything went well.
To help the day operate smoothly, the CMC was the first stop for patients. There, patients went through a basic examination and had X-rays taken. Then, based on what work was needed and how urgent it was, they were shuttled to the Greenway clinic and underwent treatment.
Dr. Tataje said that he began his day at the CMC helping with patient triage, and before the day started, he “was there praying in front of the tabernacle, praying the Rosary. I was praying for all the people that were coming,” he said.
At the CMC, staff from various Mercy Dental clinics volunteered to help process the steady stream of people coming for the Day’s free procedures.
Two volunteers, Amy and Tania were such an example.
Last year, at the inaugural Day of Mercy, the two had met, and they were happy to see each other volunteering again a year later.
“I love volunteering, absolutely just love it, and this is something fun to give back to people,” said Amy.
“It’s nice to give back to the community, especially because dental care is not always affordable to everyone,” added Tania.
Marcie Rauls, chief operating officer for Mercy Dental Group, said, “This is our favorite day because this is what we’re all about. . . This is our values coming to life.”
Looking ahead
Dr. Tataje shared that after the success of now two Days of Mercy, his goal is to increase the effort, making the event semi-annual and exploring the possibility of hiring a full-time event coordinator to champion the group’s altruistic initiatives.
To organize a Day of Mercy, there are many things to coordinate — time and effort, of course, but also a potential afterthought: Medical supplies.
Coordinating the supply donations is “a lot of logistical work, trying to get donations for dental materials,” and that’s where an event coordinator could be of service, said Dr. Tataje, especially when “dental companies are getting inspired and they want to help us out”.
In addition, Dr. Tataje has plans to create a 501(c)(3) non-profit arm, in order to handle monetary donations along with supply donations from dental companies.
With so much in store and Days of Mercy to continue, Dr. Tataje said that free events like this are “a good way to promote what the Catholic Multicultural Center and the Catholic Church is doing in town, in Madison. I am very excited and happy to do this. Yes, it is a lot of work, but it is worth it.”