Many Community Colleges Serve Basic Needs. But Free Dental Care? That's A Crowning Achievement

Basic needs services at California’s community colleges can take any number of forms. Students might find information on how to get help with housing and transportation, or get funding for laundry, utilities, or textbooks. Many schools have also opened up their gyms so that unhoused students can access a warm shower.

Jill Zimmerman is dean of students at Antelope Valley College, home to one of the more robust basic needs programs. She said she and her colleagues are always asking themselves: “What more can we do?”

Their goal is to eliminate any barrier that could get in the way of student success, she said. So through partnerships with local clinics, or by tapping into their own resources, Antelope Valley College and other campuses have also enabled access to another essential service that’s still rare among basic needs services: dental care.

Good oral health through local partnerships

Antelope Valley College has an ongoing partnership with a clinic in Palmdale, about 15 minutes away from campus. All students — with or without insurance, and regardless of their legal status — can get a voucher for dental work every semester. These vouchers entitle students to free X-rays, oral exams, teeth cleanings, and other basic services. (For students without cars, the college also provides bus passes.)

“It's kind of a no-brainer when you think about it,” said Antelope Valley College president Jennifer Zellet. The vouchers are made possible through state funding and a $19 student health fee, she said. Antelope Valley College students can also get vouchers for other health services, including free eye exams and glasses.

Zimmerman, who has been developing the college’s basic needs program for over two decades, said that vouchers for things like dentistry or eye exams or glasses are as important as access to food. For anyone wondering what dental care has to do with education, she added, “that person has obviously never had a toothache.”

Beatriz Gongora is a second-year student who’s getting ready to transfer. She’s a singer who also plays the tenor saxophone, the piano, and the drums. Her goal is to become a music teacher.

Earlier in her college journey, Gongora found herself couch surfing and struggling to find an affordable place to stay. The instability made it hard to keep up in school, she said. She turned to the school’s basic needs center for support, and staff helped her secure free housing through a third-party program.

They also got her a dental voucher; it had been nearly three years since her last visit.

“I got a couple fillers, and I didn't have to pay anything out of pocket,” she said.

Other area colleges are making more of an effort too.

Dental hygiene student Biyoura Sinani and instructor Mariah Bonner at work in West L.A. College.

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Long Beach City College has also explored subsidizing oral care.

At the school's Viking Vault, nearly 1,000 students stock up on groceries every week. Last year, they also had a chance to sign up for dental care, said Justin Mendez, the basic needs director.

A local clinic was hosting a day of service and through a one-time partnership, Long Beach City College provided off-campus dental care for students. These services included free teeth cleanings to remove plaque and tartar, which can cause cavities and decay. Mendez said they plan to host more of these events in the near future.

Dental hygiene student Abigail Martinez sits in as a patient for her classmate, Tuesy Phung, who is practicing an exam.

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In-house services

While some colleges provide off-campus dental care through partnerships with local clinics, others offer these services through their educational clinics.

At Pasadena City College, the Dental Hygiene Clinic offers low-cost services for students and the general public. These include teeth cleanings, X-rays, and sealants. (Those protect molars from cavities.) The procedures are performed by dental hygiene students, under the supervision of licensed dentists and dental hygienists.

West L.A. College — one of the four California Community Colleges that offer bachelor's degrees in dental hygiene — also has an on-campus clinic. There, students and community members can access free services similar to Pasadena City College’s.

The student clinic is “very popular,” in part because patients don’t need insurance to be treated, said Lisa Kamibayashi, director of the dental hygiene program. The clinic is open to anyone who’s interested. Some patients have even come from out-of-state.

All students are also supervised by professionals. But, because they’re in training, Kamibayashi added, services usually take “a little bit longer than usual.”

Dental Hygiene Program Director Lisa Kamibayashi, inside the dental clinic at West L.A. College.

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Luis Rosales enrolled in West L.A. College’s bachelor’s program after years of working as a dental assistant.

“I wanted to grow within the field,” he said. Plus, as a first-generation college student, he wants to set an example for his children and siblings.

Among other things, he’s learned how to use X-rays to better detect cavities, bone loss, and infections.

Hien Tran is close to completing her coursework. Her goal is to run a clinic with her brother, who's currently in dental school.

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Hien Tran, also a student at West L.A. College, is getting close to completing her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.

Looking back on her first time treating a patient, she recalls feeling unnerved. There was “a lot of blood,” she said. Tran was grateful that her professor was there to guide her through the process. Since then, she’s provided care for dozens of patients. And through this experience, she learned the importance of putting patients at ease.

Patients “usually have anxiety when they have to get injections,” she said. “So you need to learn how to [do procedures] without making a face ... You need to be confident, so they don’t feel scared.”

The West L.A. bachelor's program can be competitive. Each year, they get about 200 applications for 35 slots.

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Dental students and staff pose for a photo in the dental clinic at West LA College.

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A bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene will open doors for students, Kamibayashi said. Graduates “can go into teaching, research, sales, or public health. Some go on to dental school.”

As for other students on campus, Kamibayashi said that while dental pain can certainly make it hard for students to focus, the issue goes beyond academic performance. Poor oral health can increase their risk of developing “cardiovascular and respiratory [issues], even dementia,” she said. The clinic is meant to support their long-term health.