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FOCUS Provides Free Dental Care for Homeless Families

More than 150 dental procedures were performed this month as part of a new FOCUS dental care initiative in Orange County, California. Working in partnership with the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry and AYUDA, an international organization that provides dental care to underserved communities, FOCUS volunteers provided vital dental care, free of charge, to patients of all ages.

The services included teeth cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings, and extractions. Each patient also received instruction on how to practice and maintain proper oral hygiene.

“This partnership with AYUDA and USC was a great success,” said FOCUS Center Director Jacob Lee. “We’re really pleased to provide this service to families who live in motels. Good dental health is absolutely critical to overall well being.”

Thousands of families who are unable to afford permanent housing live in motels in Orange County. Since 2009, FOCUS has been ministering to these families by providing food and household items, career counseling and assistance with finding suitable, permanent homes.

Lee described the appreciation of patients who don’t normally receive adequate dental care.

“Everyone was extremely grateful,” Lee said. “One patient told me that he would have never been able to afford this care on his limited income. Without this clinic, he would have eventually lost his teeth.”

The FOCUS center in Orange County and AYUDA plan to host a free dental clinic annually for families living in motels. AYUDA, based in Anaheim, has provided free dental care to over 28,000 underserved patients since 1991.