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ROCKFORD — This weekend hundreds of dentists and other oral health care professionals will volunteer their time to provide free care to roughly 2,000 people.

The sixth Mission of Mercy takes place Friday and Saturday at the UW Health Sports Factory, 305 S. Madison St., in downtown. The event sets out to provide $1 million in free dental care to 2,000 patients in two days.

“Patients treated during the two-day event are also taught the importance of good daily oral hygiene practices, healthy diet and routine preventive dental care,” according to the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation, which puts on the biannual event. “The Mission of Mercy also raises public awareness of the increasing difficulty low-income adults face in accessing critical dental care.”

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Since the event started in 2010, more than $5 million in professional dental care has been donated. The last event was held in 2018 in Springfield.

Registration begins at 6 a.m. each day at the facility, and up to 1,000 people can be registered for care each day. Patients are recommended to bring a list of current medications and a one-day supply, reading glasses if required, something to help you pass the time such as a book or crossword puzzle, water and snacks, sunscreen, and baby supplies if necessary.

Mission of Mercy | By the numbers

Here’s a look at some of the numbers behind the care provided at the last Mission of Mercy event in 2018 in Springfield.

1,170 fillings

1,321 extractions

683 cleanings

152 partial dentures

69 root canals

894 x-rays

Source: Illinois State Dental Society Foundation

For more information on the event, visit isds.org/mom.