The history of the Community Dental Clinic at UCSF

In fall of 1993, a group of UCSF dental students collaborated with medical students to start and operate a free dental clinic for uninsured patients in the Bay Area. The idea began when Linda Kajisa Miyatake, a second-year medical student who also held a DDS degree from UCSF, proposed adding dental care to the clinic's list of services. The clinic operated out of the Multi-Service Center (MSC) at Fifth and Bryant Street in San Francisco.

Initially, all the equipment necessary for basic dental exams was donated by Andrew Valenti, DDS, an alumnus of the UCSF School of Dentistry. On January 9, 1993, the equipment was transported from Valenti's office to the MSC, marking the beginning of free dental care in our community clinic. Additional funds were raised to convert one of the shelter's rooms into a dental operatory that met ADA and health regulations. On January 26, 1993, the clinic opened its doors to its first dental screening patients, and continued doing so every other Tuesday in conjunction with the MSC.

The dire need for a dedicated dental clinic was confirmed when, in just one day, the shelter compiled a two-page list of individuals seeking dental care. Since most clients had no access to dental care, the clinic began offering oral cancer screenings and oral hygiene instruction in addition to the intraoral and extraoral exams already performed. Dental students dispensed dental floss, toothpaste, and toothbrushes to patients, and some received pain medication and antibiotics for their ailments. Because the clinic was not equipped to handle dental procedures at the time, all dental emergencies were referred out to San Francisco General Hospital and the Berkeley Free Clinic.

Due to increased demand, the clinic upgraded to use the clinics at the UCSF School of Dentistry at 707 Parnassus Avenue. Since then, volunteer student providers and dedicated School of Dentistry Faculty have donated their time every Wednesday night of each academic quarter to perform the procedures that were not feasible before. The clinic has grown in size to accommodate approximately twenty patients a night and provides restorative, endodontics, fixed and removable prosthodontics, and periodontics services, while strictly adhering to the "minimally invasive" philosophy taught at the UCSF School of Dentistry.

This clinic fills a much-needed gap for the uninsured dental population in San Francisco, while also giving UCSF students a rich opportunity to serve the community and gain valuable clinical experience. We are always ready to help and look forward to growing alongside the needs of our community.