Dental Care, Regardless of Ability to Pay
For many who are experiencing homelessness, a painful dental emergency can severely impact their quality of life. However, maintaining proper dental health is a challenge on the streets and routine dental care is often not accessible to people experiencing homelessness. Unfortunately, too many are forced to endure the pain and discomfort.
At AHCH we meet this need by providing dental services both at our on-campus dental suite and with our roving dental outreach vehicle regardless of ability to pay. Our dental program offers a wide variety of services, such as cleanings, cavity fillings, dentures, extractions, and even some emergency dental services.
Innovating Oral Health for People Experiencing Homelessness
Intro to Oral Health
Oral health is not just about having a bright smile—it’s a window to the body’s overall health. The mouth is the gateway to the respiratory and digestive tracts, making it a critical point of defense against infection. But when oral health is neglected, it can become a source of pain, illness, and life-threatening conditions.
- Bacterial Infections and Systemic Health: The mouth is home to millions of bacteria—most of them harmless. But poor oral hygiene can lead to the buildup of harmful bacteria, causing gum disease (periodontitis) and tooth decay. When left untreated, these conditions allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream, leading to systemic infections and even life-threatening conditions like endocarditis (heart infection).
- Diabetes: Poor dental health can worsen blood sugar control in people with diabetes, and diabetes, in turn, increases the risk of gum disease—creating a dangerous cycle.
- Nutrition and Digestion: Oral health directly impacts nutrition. When people cannot chew properly due to missing or decayed teeth, they are forced to eat softer, often less nutritious foods. This is especially damaging for people experiencing homelessness, whose access to nutritious food is already limited.
The Challenges
Innovation & Partnership
