Nonprofit Onslow Community Outreach is doing their part to help people who cannot afford dental care by officially opening the Caring Community Dental Clinic in Jacksonville Thursday.

The goal of the clinic is to serve those who need dental care but are under-insured or not insured at all.

Theo McClammy, Onslow Community Outreach director, says, "As we launch today our goal is within the first twelve months is to help at least 400 people."

People first began coming to the clinic in September while equipment was first being tested and monitored.

The 3,500 square foot building was donated by the Morgan family from Jacksonville back in January and on Wednesday the clinic already has 125 patients in the system for services.

The clinic has six patient rooms and all have donated equipment and supplies.

A 25,000 dollar check presented to the clinic from the North Carolina Dental Society will go to buy more supplies and equipment.

For people like Gyasi Allen, who made a special trip to schedule an appointment, the clinic is very helpful.

Allen says, "They say it's affordable, so I need to get me a couple of teeth pulled."

Right now the clinic only offers exams and x-rays for those in pain. Then they'll either give antibiotics or do an extraction.

One of the volunteering dentists says a healthy mouth is the key to a healthy life.

Dr. Virginia Wilson, the volunteer dental director, says, "The bacteria in the mouth are specific for damaged heart valves or any cardiac patient so we know how vital it is for them to have overall health, to have a healthy mouth."

Because of that Dr. Wilson volunteers on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon but they're striving for more to volunteer.

Dr. Wilson says in the future if donations and volunteers come together they'd love to offer cleanings and fillings as well.

Onslow Community Outreach says everything is run off of monetary donations, grants and volunteers, so in order to expand services they're asking for other retired or practicing dentists to consider volunteering one day a week.

Dr. Wilson says, "We've tried to put in systems so it's very easy, for dentists to step in and provide the care."