Emilee Peeples will be a 2010 graduate of Mississippi College, but will also be entering dental school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the fall. Take a look at her journey of service through the Mission First Dental Clinic.
"My dad has been volunteering with Mission First for years and has always suggested that I consider serving there because there are so many people in need with serious dental issues. I began volunteering on a few Fridays and immediately recognized the immensity of the need for people to serve in the dental area - whether it be dentists, hygienists, or people like me that were just willing to show up. Each time I came in to serve, the people were so friendly, welcoming, supportive and loved the extra help. In a short time, I began to look forward toward my Fridays spent serving at Mission First. As I became a regular volunteer, it wasn't long until I began to befriend the patients, especially those coming back for multiple appointments.
I also learned quickly that the patients we were seeing now had been pulled from the waiting list from many years before. It broke my heart knowing there were so many people in Jackson that needed help and had to wait so many years for it.
I have wanted to be a dentist since I was a junior in high school, but it was this summer that I truly felt the need to invest in serving those in our community. This is now the main reason why I now want to be a dentist. It is amazing to me to think about how dentistry is constantly developing and how I will be used as I continue my education and serve at Mission First. I start dental school at the University of Mississippi in August, and I cannot wait to see where this new chapter of my life takes me."