Merry Christmas, have a filling: Whitehorse clinic offers free dentistry

Here's something to make you smile: free dentistry!

A Whitehorseclinicis looking to share some Christmas spirit this weekend, by opening its doorsto people who usually can'tafford to see a dentist.

Dentists and hygienists at Riverstone Dental Clinicwill be cleaning, filling, and pulling teeth for free, all day on Saturday.It will bea first come-first served offer, open only to peoplewithout dental insurance.

"We meet lots of people who can't afford dental treatment, lots of people thatwork, have jobs, but can't afford it," said the clinic's co-owner, Sammy Hachem.

"We wanted to find a way to help them this holiday season."

All the clinic's staff four dentists, three hygienists, as well as several dental assistants and receptionists will be there, working for free.

Hachem was not aware of anybody ever doing something similar in Whitehorse before, so he phoned colleagues across Canada to figure out how to make it work.

One clinic in Paradise, Newfoundland, held its first free day last weekend. Receptionist Ruby Barnes saidit was a big success.

• A Christmas cleaning? Paradise company offers free smiles

"A lot ofpeople wouldn't think a trip to the dentist is really a very good Christmas gift, but yeah, for a lot ofpeople it really is," she said.

"We'll definitely do it again... People were so thankfulthat we could get them in, and get their work done for them."

Hachemsays his clinic has not ruled out making it an annual tradition, but first he wants to see what happens this weekend.

"We don't know how it's going to turn out, but we'll try it this first year and see how it is," he said. "We felt like it was the best way for us to help out."

The RiverstoneDental Clinic will open its doors at 8 a.m. on Saturday.