Breadcrumb
Outreach Serves Communities in Jamaica, Chinatown and Golden Gate Park
Energetic volunteers from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry recently led several outreach activities that provided the public with free dental care, oral health screenings and education, community park enhancements and more.
Jamaica Outreach
Following the completion of their summer quarter, a group of 50 volunteers flew to Jamaica to partner with Great Shape! Inc., an organization that the Dugoni School of Dentistry has worked with in previous years. Thirty-six dental students, four dental hygiene students and 10 faculty members served 730 patients at clinics in the underserved communities of Clarkstown and Falmouth, as well as at a community clinic at a local Sandals Resort.
Attendees received services including cleanings, fluoride treatments, x-rays, fillings, extractions and root canals, as well as oral health education and free dental health kits. The majority of the patients seen had never visited a dentist before, so the clinics were their first experience receiving dental care.
鈥淏eing one of the trip leaders, completing this trip was much more rewarding than I could have ever anticipated,鈥� said Peto Choti, DDS 鈥�25. 鈥淎s for the patients, I have never seen such appreciation and gratitude for the work we do as dentists. Regardless of what treatment was completed, a simple prophy or eight teeth extracted, they were so happy to be taken care of.鈥�
SCOPE at Chinatown Community Health Fair
Locally, dental students and faculty volunteered to provide free dental services at the 29th Annual Chinatown Community Health Fair at the Chinatown YMCA in San Francisco on October 12. The dental care portion of the outreach was organized by the Student Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) program, a student-run volunteer community service organization at the Dugoni School. SCOPE鈥檚 mission is to develop dental professionals committed to improving the health of all people.
More than 40 volunteers provided dental screenings for children and adults, and each attendee received a free dental health kit with toothbrush, paste, floss and other goodies. In addition, some patients were offered treatment procedures. Attendees also received oral health educational information, had their questions answered about how to care for teeth, with translations available for Mandarin and Cantonese speakers. The event helps reach people who lack dental insurance and raises awareness about the importance of ongoing dental care.
Jacqueline Ha, DDS 鈥�26, remarked on the day, "Beyond the screenings, we had the opportunity to educate participants about caries disease prevention, healthy diet habits and proper oral hygiene. We also provided referrals to dental homes for those who didn鈥檛 have one, ensuring they have access to ongoing care.鈥�
鈥淏eing part of this event was deeply rewarding, as we made a lasting impact on the community by addressing both immediate and long-term oral health needs,鈥� added David Wong, DDS 鈥�26. 鈥淭his experience reminded us all of the importance of giving back and the difference we can make as future dental professionals.鈥�
The annual Chinatown Community Health Fair is organized by the NICOS Chinese Health Coalition and Gum Moon/Asian Women's Resource Center (AWRC). This event convenes more than 30 health and human service organizations and mobilizes nearly 100 volunteers to offer a wide range of healthcare services for the public.
EVOC at Golden Gate Park 鈥� Koret Children鈥檚 Playground
A group of Dugoni School employees recently volunteered to clean up and prepare flower planting areas at the Koret Children鈥檚 Playground at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The outing was arranged by the school鈥檚 Employee Volunteer Opportunities Committee (EVOC) to support the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
EVOC was formed to identify opportunities for faculty and staff to volunteer with local non-profit organizations outside of dentistry. Its mission is to promote, support, and inspire faculty and staff to give back to the local communities within which we live and work. In addition to volunteer events like these, the group also holds donation drives. Dugoni School employees are allowed up to two paid days per year to use for volunteer activities out in the community.
Organizations previously supported through EVOC include GLIDE, Habitat for Humanity, La Casa de las Madres, Muttville, One Warm Coat, Salvation Army, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, SF-Marin Food Bank and St. Anthony's Foundation.
