No Cost Dental Services
Volunteer For Dental (VFD) provides no-cost, comprehensive dental care and oral health education to uninsured or under-insured adults in Muskegon and Oceana Counties in exchange for community service. Participants complete an RDH-led orientation and earn care at a $33 credit per volunteer hour; care begins with exams and x-rays, followed by a dentist’s treatment plan and scheduled services as hours are completed. With 25 volunteer dentists (including an oral surgeon, 3 endodontists, and a periodontist) and 5 volunteer hygienists, VFD delivers cleanings, periodontal treatment, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns, and dentures—then keeps clients in preventive “recare” so VFD can become their long-term dental home. As the community’s dental hub, VFD also fields referrals and questions, provides supplies, and conducts outreach (e.g., 50 events reaching 4,000+ people in 2024).
Services are designed for adults at or below 250% FPL who lack affordable coverage. To reduce barriers, VFD offers phone screenings, mailed materials, flexible orientations, “volunteer-from-home” options, and the ability for a friend/family member to donate up to half the required hours when needed. Results are strong: roughly 60% stabilize their oral health after completing initial treatment, 60–75% return annually for ongoing care, and six-year surveys show 87–98% report better oral-health habits, self-esteem, and community connection.
Alignment with United Way mission/priorities (1 paragraph)
VFD directly advances United Way of the Lakeshore’s Healthy Families/Individuals → Access to Care strategy and bold goal to help working families (ALICE) meet basic needs. By converting volunteer service into essential dental treatment and education, VFD removes cost and insurance barriers that routinely keep ALICE households from preventive and restorative care. The program improves health, preserves limited household budgets, strengthens social ties through volunteering, and keeps participants engaged in ongoing prevention—concrete steps toward thriving, equitable communities.