VIDEO: Redmond Dental Office Helps Bring Free Care to Tent City Residents

The drive from Tent City 4 — located in a parking lot of a Kirkland church — to a Redmond dental office took only about 20 minutes on Saturday.

But the dentists and hygienists who volunteered their time to help homeless residents hoped that the cleaning, checking, filling and extracting would last a long time — and in a good way.

Their efforts were led by Sammamish-based International Smile Power, a nonprofit organization that has sent dental teams to different parts of the world to provide care.

For the second year in a row, International Smile Power joined about six dentists to help tent city residents, who are staying at .

Last year in Issaquah, the group treated 43 people and provided more than $30,000 in free dental work, said Jeff Zent, a dentist who opened his office in that city in 2010 for patient care.

"There are a lot of people who are living with pain. They have need, said Zent, an International Smile Power board member.

"To come and give, it's just a wonderful experience. It's probably one of the best days of dentistry that I do during the year."

In the lobby of Redmond Family Dentistry, Tent City 4 residents waited for their appointments or rides back to Kirkland. They expressed gratitude that dentists had stepped up to help out.

While International Smile Power will continue to help people overseas, Zent said the group hopes to provide dental service to more tent city residents in the future.

At Tent City 4 on Saturday morning, rain created puddles after drops pelted tarps that protected tents. Residents gathered in a covered area and relaxed at the tent city, which is supported by donations.

Some residents had gauze stuffed in their mouths. Others waited at the camp's front entrance for a ride to Redmond.

"It's a blessing," Tent City 4 resident Hiram Porter, 28, said.

On Saturday, 85 people were living in tents in the church parking lot. By about 1 p.m., 42 residents had received treatment.

And the appointments at Redmond Family Dentistry were scheduled to last a few more hours in the day.