Temporary Dentures For People Experiencing Homelessness

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Through a variety of programs, community partnerships, and services, the Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health (DPH) works to advance the conditions that support optimal health and well-being for all persons in LAC. LAC DPH’s vision is Healthy People in Healthy Communities. LAC DPH’s Oral Health Program (OHP) strives to foster a community where oral health is recognized as essential for overall health and where everyone has the opportunity to achieve optimal health and well-being. OHP partnered with Western University College of Dental Medicine (Western), a local YMCA, and Lava Mae, a non-profit organization that provides mobile showers and hygiene services to people experiencing homelessness (PEH), to launch a dental internship project titled Temporary Dentures for People Experiencing Homelessness. The project goals are two-fold: 1) to increase access to dental services by providing dental care in a location where vulnerable populations receive other essential services such as meals, clothing, and showers and 2) to increase the dental workforce in community-based settings by exposing students to working with underserved populations and encouraging the continuation of work in underserved communities after graduation.