September 20, 2018

University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni's Union City Dental Care Center had an important part to play in a recent event for veterans held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton on Sept. 15. Clinic residents, along with faculty and staff, provided denture care for 20 people.

Although previous Stand Down events had included dental care, this was the first year that Stand Down was also able to provide prosthetics to replace extracted teeth, said Melinda Sciandri, executive director of the Southern Alameda County Dental Society. "I watched men and women moved to tears as they looked at their new smiles on the mirror," she commented. "These new smiles can represent a new start, they could mean a new job, a new opportunity, but most importantly a new sense of pride for men and women who have served our county, mostly in active combat zones."

The East Bay Stand Down is a four-day event held every two years, during which a consortium of community organizations come together to connect veterans with a wide range of services and resources. Approximately 500 veterans receive help at each event.

"At this time of challenge and stress in the world, it is comforting to know that people open their hearts and give back to those less fortunate," commented Allen Wong, director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program which is housed at the Union City clinic.

Another opportunity for veterans to receive oral health care will be on Nov. 8, when the Dugoni School of Dentistry will offer free dental checkups. For San Francisco, please call 415.400.8247 to schedule an appointment; for Union City call 510.489.5200. More information is available here ›

About East Bay Stand Down

Since the first East Bay Stand Down, held in 1999, the goal has been to provide a respite for the homeless and at-risk veterans from their daily environment. Approximately 5,000 veterans, and their families, have received assistance via this event. The fiduciary agent for the EBSD is the Diablo Valley Veterans Foundation (DVVF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

For more information, visit their website.

About the Union City Dental Care Center

The Union City Dental Care Center is home to eight of Pacific's advanced general dentistry residents — all with DDS degrees — who provide care to patients on a full-time basis, under the auspices of the school's Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program. This one- to two-year clinical training program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. All services are rendered under the supervision of dental school faculty members: six general dentists and six specialists. The clinic team also includes a full-time dental hygienist and 11 staff members.

Learn more about the clinic's services on the Union City Dental Care Center website ›

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu

Categories: Alumni, Community Impact, Events, Oral Health, 2018

Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, pr@pacific.edu