SALT LAKE DONATED DENTAL SERVICES

Salt Lake Donated Dental Services (SLDDS) is a community dental clinic located west of downtown Salt Lake City, in the beautiful Sorenson Unity Center. We provide provide free and discounted comprehensive dental care to people who are experiencing homelessness, and those living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Open five days a week, our staff and volunteer dental professionals treat approximately 447 patients each month, providing an average of $116,314 in quality dental care per month (averages taken from 2023 Year-End Report). Our five operatories are designed for efficiency as well as to make patients feel as if their care is being received in a private office setting rather than a free community dental clinic. Program services include:
• Emergency treatment;
• Preventive services and periodontal maintenance (e.g., cleanings, x-rays, oral hygiene education, sealants and fluoride varnishes);
• Restorative care (e.g., fillings, root canals and crowns);
• Pediatric dental services (including in-office sedation);
• Oral surgery; and
• Denture and partial program.

Preventative care is key in SLDDS’ approach to improving oral health. Our dentists encourage restoring dental health and preserving the oral integrity of our patients. SLDDS strives to have 75% of all services provided be preventive and restorative in nature. In 2023, 78% of the 21,180 procedures were preventive and restorative in nature. SLDDS cares for community members as it fosters a compassionate and ongoing relationship with its patients and provides them with comprehensive, quality care in a family-centered and continuously accessible way. Last year, SLDDS served 5,363 patients and provided $1,395,774 in dental services, of which $865,364 in services were free to our communities’ most at-risk.

Most of our patients come from Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele and Summit counties. However, SLDDS is open to anyone who income qualifies, which includes children and adults who are homeless or living at or below 200% of the FPL. Patients are required to provide proof of eligibility at the time of service. SLDDS serves the most medically underserved individuals in our communities. This includes people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. Patients include refugees, immigrants, veterans, victims of domestic violence, adults and children with physical and mental disabilities, and people struggling with substance abuse. Additionally, SLDDS provides translation services for patients who are not proficient in English. In 2023, approximately 49% of SLDDS’ patients had incomes at or below 100% of the FPL, including 14% experiencing homelessness, and 51% of the patients treated were with incomes between 101-200% of the FPL.

Oral health is critical to one’s overall health and well-being. Poor oral health can have detrimental effects on a person’s quality of life. Consequences of poor oral health are severe and include overwhelming pain, late detection of oral cancers, loss of teeth, low birth weights, preterm labor, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and difficulty in controlling one’s diabetes. Arguably more critical, poor oral health has devastating effects on a child’s emotional and psychosocial well-being. This is especially true for children living in poverty. In Utah, one in five children have untreated cavities, and the percentage is twice as high for low-income or minority children.

SLDDS has been at the forefront of working to prevent these powerfully destructive life-long issues from occurring in children and adults alike since 1990. We work tirelessly to provide a dental home to the underserved, where care is given, and healing is found in a comprehensive manner. SLDDS has provided approximately $25 million in exceptional dental services to tens of thousands suffering from poor oral health. SLDDS is the only dental clinic in our community to provide free preventive and restorative care, as well as emergency services. Considerable time is spent educating every patient on the importance of healthy habits and teaching them how to maintain good oral health. SLDDS knows that providing low-income and underserved children, families and individuals with dental care better equips them to succeed in all aspects of life.