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Welcome to Madison Dental Initiative
With all the hardships that come with homelessness, access to dental care is near the top of the list. That’s why Madison dentists and volunteers decided they had to do something.
The Salvation Army (SA) Thursday night dental clinic, founded in May 2009, grew out of a desire by Dr. Matthew Kutz, Dr. Laura Tills, and State Public Health Dental Hygienist Lisa Bell to meet the oral health needs of the homeless population in Madison. The Madison Dental Initiative was established with the inception of this clinic. Since its opening, the clinic has provided care for 265 patients.
The SA Dental Clinic is staffed by volunteer health professional students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a team of dedicated local dentists who volunteer their time and talents.
The clinic is set up to do a wide variety of both preventive and restorative care, including simple root canals, stainless steel crowns, and pulpotomies (baby tooth root canals). Establishing the SA Dental Clinic was made possible through collaboration with the Salvation Army and the MEDiC Salvation Army Clinic as well as a grant, which funded setup costs and equipment.
The clinic has helped patients receive fillings and extractions, as well as preventive measures such as deep periodontal cleanings and dental sealants. Students volunteering at the Salvation Army Dental Clinic have expanded their role from intake and patient history to assisting in activities like suctioning and other dental procedures.
See how we are making a difference!
Funds & Contributions
| Value of Procedures Performed | $19,700 |
| Value of Patient Visits | $96,000 |
| Value of X-Rays | $4,800 |
| Value of Student Volunteer Hours | $10,811.52 |
| Value of Professional Volunteer Hours | $38,400 |
| Total Value of Services Provided | $169,711.52 |
If you are looking to make a contribution or volunteer for our dental clinic, please visit our Contact Page or our Volunteer Page.
Our Mission
To provide quality dental care to those individuals we are privileged to serve who may have circumstances that prevent them from obtaining needed dental care elsewhere.
