Students and faculty from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry have given their time and talent to provide dental care to San Francisco's homeless through the city-supported event Project Homeless Connect (PHC). At each event, volunteers provide dental screenings, basic care and complex treatment to homeless individuals at no cost to the patients.
Volunteers from the dental school have been providing oral health care services through Project Homeless Connect since 2007. To date, thousands of homeless San Franciscans have received dental screenings, teeth cleanings, restorations or much-needed oral surgery as result of this effort.
Project Homeless Connect was launched in San Francisco in October 2004. The volunteer and outreach event has been emulated in many cities across the United States as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and Australia. Community volunteers partner with city government, non-profits and the private sector to provide a one-stop shop of health and human services for homeless San Franciscans.