As part of HYPED (Homeless Youth Prevention and Empowerment Day), the Pierce County Dental Society and Oral Health Coalition members combined talent and services at Spanaway Middle School on January 24, 2015, to provide dental care with a focus on youth in our community. Participating organizations include Access to Baby and Child Dentistry, Bates and Clover Park Technical College Dental Assisting Schools, Community Health Care, Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Medical Teams International, Pierce College Dental Hygiene School, Puyallup Tribal Health Authority, and many other private dentists.

The dental section of the event experienced a steady stream of patients, conducting over forty screenings, eleven cleanings, and twenty-nine varnishes. The Medical Teams International dental van, with its volunteer professional dental staff, provided twenty-one patients with additional treatment.  The value of donated care was $13,710.   The Pierce County Dental Society wishes to acknowledge all the oral health volunteers, partners and community resources who worked together to help those in need of dental services.

For those interested in volunteering in the dental services area at the Tuesday, March 31, 2015 Project Homeless Connect at the Washington State Fairgrounds, please contact Cheryl Jenkins at pcds@pcdentists.org.