F
or nearly a century, San José Clinic has been the health
home for the uninsured of the Greater Houston area.
From its humble beginning in 1922, the Clinic has flourished into a multi-level healthcare facility, including a
state-of-the-art dental department. Today, San José Clinic
provides access to preventative and specialty medical and dental
care, as well as pharmaceutical, radiology, diagnostic and disease
state management services.
Since the Affordable Care Act did not include dental coverage for
adults, many were left without care or coverage. Now, San José
Clinic is one of the few places the uninsured of Houston can find
affordable, quality dental care in a beautiful, modern facility. As
a charity care clinic, San José Clinic accepts no government funding or insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid. Instead, the
Clinic is funded entirely by the generosity of donors, partners, and
community funders.
In 2015, with a dental staff of just nine, San José Clinic saw more
than 2,300 dental patients providing services including hygiene,
fillings, root canals, crowns, extractions, and dentures. All the
“This the best dental experience I’ve ever
had. The Clinic is so neat and clean. My
smile will be as beautiful as it once was,
thanks to the dentists here.”
Clinic can accomplish is made possible by the service of more than
300 dedicated volunteers from throughout the community. These
volunteers come to the Clinic through academic affiliates, professional groups, private practices and more. The services San José
Clinic and their volunteers provide, which so many of us can take
for granted, are truly life-changing for Clinic patients. Take Hana,
for instance.
Many years ago, Hana B. received dental care in Colombia while
pursuing her higher education. Dental students attempting to
repair her chipped tooth shaved it too thinly, leading to a broken
tooth that plagued her long after her return to the United States.
As the years passed, Hana resorted to
repairing the tooth herself, keeping super
glue in her pocket for emergency issues.
After discovering San José Clinic on the
University of Texas Dental School’s website, she walked over to the Clinic and was
delighted. “This is the best dental experience I’ve ever had. The Clinic is so neat
and clean.” Hana will have the two teeth
she has lost replaced at a cost she can
afford, all at San José Clinic. “My smile
will be as beautiful as it once was, thanks
to the [dentists] here.”
Throughout the year, San José Clinic also hosts extended care
programs including Give Kids a Smile Day, in collaboration with
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School
of Dentistry, and Sealant Day, in collaboration with the Greater
Houston Dental Hygienists’ Society.
If you are interested in making an incredible difference in the lives
and health of our community, you too can join San José Clinic as
a volunteer. The Clinic has the capacity to serve more patients,
but needs volunteers to join the team to make dental care an
affordable reality for more people. Whether you’re a general dentist, periodontist, prosthodontist, hygienist or dental assistant,
San José Clinic needs your help.
For more information on how to get involved, contact our
Volunteer Services Department at (713) 228-9413 or email
[email protected]. To learn more about San José
Clinic, visit www.sanjoseclinic.org.
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