Vacation with a Mission: Traveling to Make a Difference

By Laurel Carbonneau

Posted Jun 11, 2026 in Labs & Profiles

Since 2020, Dan Pfluger, CDT, Owner, Assured Dental Lab, Loves Park, IL, has traveled to 11 Mission of Mercy (MOM) events to help provide free dental care to underserved populations.


His first event was the Mid-South Mission of Mercy, a two-day program held in the basement of a Baptist church in Memphis, TN. He was one of 11 technicians and 60 dentists who volunteered to provide exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions and flippers to about 1,700 patients.


The technicians set up a make-shift laboratory using their own equipment and supplies. Pfluger was initially signed up for a six-hour Saturday shift but there was so much work he agreed to stay on for a second shift, pouring and trimming models and selecting denture teeth. “The entire experience was inspiring. After seeing the ingenuity it took for these technicians to turn a church basement into a working laboratory, the camaraderie among the volunteers and experiencing the gratification of helping...

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About The Author

  • Laurel Carbonneau

    Webinar Platform Manager at LMT Communications, Inc. · Bethlehem, CT

    With LMT for over 12 years, Laurel spearheads our Webinar platform, edits numerous sections of the magazine, writes feature articles and is the editorial webmaster.

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