Arizonans in need of dental care can get it, for free, Friday and Saturday, at the first Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Mark Brodie reports.

MARK BRODIE: Three hundred dentists have turned Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the state fairgrounds into a giant dental clinic – providing fillings, extractions and other services at no cost. Glendale Dentist Mark Hughes is a Spokesman for the Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation, which is putting on the event. He says the group has put on similar clinics for kids, but saw a need for one serving adults, as well.

MARK HUGHES: Dental pain is one of the biggest reasons kids miss school and a lot of people miss work on a daily basis, so there are a lot of people out there that are in need. And, medical insurance, in general, does not cover dental treatment, and it’s pretty hard to get on an individual basis – usually it’s through an employer or something, and a lot of these people aren’t employed.

BRODIE: Hughes says dentists expect to provide around $1 million worth of free care to two thousand patients today and tomorrow. And, he’s encouraging people to get there early, since care will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. The event runs through 6 p.m. Friday and from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday.