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From Chinatown to CA CareForce: Dugoni Volunteers Champion Care for the Community
Students and faculty from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry recently demonstrated their deep commitment to community care by volunteering at two major public health events held over one weekend in Northern California.
Chinatown Community Health Fair
Volunteers served the public at the 30th Annual Chinatown Community Health Fair on October 11 at the Chinatown YMCA in San Francisco. This annual event is a crucial opportunity to reach people who lack dental insurance and to raise awareness about the importance of regular dental care. Their efforts were organized by the dental school鈥檚 Student Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) program, a student group dedicated to improving public health.
SCOPE volunteers at 30th Annual Chinatown Community Health Fair
The Dugoni School volunteers were joined by students from UCSF and UC Berkeley, working side by side to provide dental screenings for both children and adults. Attendees received a free dental health kit (toothbrush, paste, floss, etc.) and oral health education, and in some cases, also were offered treatment. Mandarin and Cantonese translators were also on hand to help answer questions about proper dental care.
Zhenni Zhang, DDS 鈥�27 reflected on the event, saying, 鈥淰olunteering at the Chinatown event really showed me how people from all over can come together to help others. Students and volunteers from different neighborhoods and backgrounds worked side by side, sharing their time and energy to make a difference. It felt great to see everyone teaming up, proving that when we join forces, we can provide much better care and support for the community.鈥�
鈥淚t was truly an eye-opening and impactful experience, especially as I met attendees who had avoided the dentist for years due to fear or uncertainty, and some who had never been able to express their concerns in their own language. We were able to connect with the community in a way that felt safe and personal. This health fair offered attendees reassurance, confidence and an opportunity to take real steps toward their health,鈥� said volunteer Amanda Lee, DDS 鈥�26. 鈥淲itnessing their relief and gratitude was a powerful reminder of how meaningful access, care and understanding can be. It also deepened my appreciation for how much trust and empathy shape the patient experience, showing that dentistry goes far beyond clinical skills.鈥�
Established at the Dugoni School in the 1990s, SCOPE鈥檚 mission is to develop dental professionals committed to improving the health of all people. Student members of SCOPE volunteer at a variety of events throughout the academic year.
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.
California CareForce 3-Day Free Healthcare Clinic
Twenty-eight Dugoni School of Dentistry students and four faculty members from the San Francisco and Sacramento campuses volunteered at the Sacramento Valley Healthcare Clinic organized by and held at Cal Expo over the weekend of October 10-12. The goal was to treat patients with varying needs including fillings, extractions, cleanings, x-rays and dentures.
California CareForce is the philanthropic arm of the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CALOMS), consisting of volunteer healthcare professionals, community leaders and engaged citizens.
The organization promotes the health and well-being of those in need through volunteer-supported, no-cost healthcare clinics throughout California. Free pop-up clinics are organized to provide access to basic and critical dental, vision and medical care. California CareForce is 100% funded by donations, grants, foundations and sponsorships.
