Anatomy of MOM-n-PA 2018
By Dr . Bruce R . Terry , Editor Emeritus , Immediate Past President
This year the annual MOM-n-PA dental mission was held at the Santander Arena in Reading , on May 18 and 19 . The planning begins one year before the event and requires the help of dozens of volunteer “ leads ,” or captains , and local leaders to make this event successful .
As in other years , I arrived the night before set-up day so that I could hit the ground running at 7 a . m . Thursday morning . I met with Dr . Gary Davis , Chairperson for MOM-n-PA since it began in 2012 as a concept . We also met with Ben and Aaron from the American Dentist Cares Foundation who helped us set up , operate and break down all the borrowed dental equipment . As in other years , we reviewed the floor plan we developed months earlier with the event staff at the arena , but on set-up day there is always something . This time it was the tractor trailer that was delivered the day before and positioned at the loading dock . It was four inches too low and the doors could not swing open . We discussed the possibility of inflating the tires more or cutting off the hinges of the doors . In the end we used a pry bar to get the doors open and past the floor of the loading dock . Crisis no . 1 averted !
Next , all the equipment was unloaded onto the event floor while I marked with tape where everything would need to go . Floor plans were given to different departments and each was responsible for getting the tables up and supplies out . We had to dry fit 600 feet of PVC pipe , set up 175 tables and connect 108 dental units and dental chairs , lights and stools .
During unpacking one of the suction units was damaged , and we needed special PVC pipe and fittings . I called around to local plumbing suppliers , found what I needed and had it in one hour , thanks to the quick driving of Dr . John Reitz . Crisis No . 2 averted !
This year there was a miscommunication with our very helpful partners at Planmeca . They shipped and allowed us to use three digital panographic machines each year at no cost to us . This year the units arrived the day before , but there
16 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL