Danny Muller, Executive Director, Oasis Free Clinics
Greetings from Oasis Free Clinics, where we are working to provide health care for ALL members of our community.
As we recently acknowledged the holiday Juneteenth, I have been thinking a lot recently about the words of author Robert Jones Jr: “We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”
American history- and our present- is too often full of attempts to qualify who is deserving of being free, being equal, or being cared for. Denying a person health care is denying their right to exist. It is cruel, unnecessary, and a way to divide us.
Oasis Free Clinics offers another way- a way that sees that all people deserve compassionate care- and I see my colleagues providing that care here each and every day.
We are working to provide a model where health care is not compartmentalized, where parts of the human body are not cut off from care for the sake of profit.
Dental services are a blaring example of this, where oral health has been separated from general healthcare. This is a logical and medical flaw. We have been very busy in recent weeks, expanding our dental team to soon include a dental hygienist and a second dental assistant. This drastically increases our ability to meet the ever- increasing need for dental care in our community. Oral health is not merely cosmetic; it directly impacts overall health. Lack of dental care can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetic complications, and increased risks during pregnancy. As anyone who has had the urgent need to see a dentist, the lack of dental care can cause excruciating and unbearable pain. Imagine being unable to receive treatment and knowing self-medicating is your only option. Is this the status of health care that we deem acceptable for Mainers?
Dental health also carries a heavy social stigma. Visible tooth decay or missing teeth can severely impact an individual’s self-esteem and mental health. More critically, it creates systemic barriers to escaping poverty. Job applicants with visible dental issues face implicit bias, particularly in service, customer-facing, or professional roles.
If healthcare is a human right, dental care must be as well. Isolating the mouth from the rest of the body creates an inequitable system where pain relief and physical dignity become privileges reserved only for those who can afford them.
As we strive to treat the whole person at Oasis, it is important to recognize that our dental and clinical free care services are supplemented by other services- including the amazing efforts of our volunteer optometrist, Dr. Mark Alexander. Dr. Alexander’s commitment to our patients is wonderful to witness. His professionalism, deep concern, and empathy for his patients is such a gift to our community. We would love to strengthen our vision services and are actively recruiting for volunteers to join Dr. Alexander in this important work. Thanks to support from Maine Women’s Giving Tree, and a new partnership with New Eyes for the Needy, we have begun expanding the provision of free eyeglasses to patients in need. What sounds like a simple project is having a profound impact. We are seeing patients with severe vision problems who are actively driving vehicles without access to eyeglasses. If anyone needs a simple example of how important vision care is to public health and safety, this is it.
Lastly, our mental health counseling services are yet another example of how we strive to treat the whole person. The local need for these services is far greater than we have the capacity to provide for, yet we are working to provide dignified care for as many people as we can, and welcome volunteers and resources to help us further this goal.
Poverty and being isolated and alone often make us feel like we do not have the right to exist, that we are not wanted or needed. The people at Oasis see you, and want you to know there is a place where we can celebrate your humanity and offer assistance that allows you to explore healthier outcomes-and help others along the way. Find out more at oasisfreeclinics.org or by calling (207) 721-9277.
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