Domestic Access to Care Grant allows delivery of endodontic services for underserved San Antonio patients

For a second year, the department of endodontics at UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry was awarded the Domestic Access to Care Grant from the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) Foundation. The foundation’s Domestic Access to Care program provides grant funding for member-led access-to-care initiatives throughout the United States. The program’s goals include treating patients in underserved communities, providing the highest level of care to all patients, demonstrating the value of endodontics in dentistry and advocating for the specialty, providing mentorship and hands-on opportunities for dental students to work alongside specialists and engaging a younger demographic of members of the American Association of Endodontists.

With the aid of the grant, the faculty and residents in the department of endodontics have established partnerships with the San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic (SACDC), Haven for Hope, Methodist Healthcare Ministries and the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic for an annual day of endodontic services at UT Dentistry. These efforts not only help patients receive critical dental care to save teeth–they also enrich the lives of the endodontists and residents who care for them.

On a recent Saturday in February, the UT Dentistry Endodontics Clinic was busy with volunteers delivering care to patients, all made possible by the grant. The team of 32 clinic volunteers and three offsite volunteers provided expert care for 37 patients, treating 40 teeth for root canals and core buildups. 

The volunteers worked the full Saturday to ensure all patients were able to receive the care they needed. The group of volunteers included nine alumni, six of whom were from San Antonio and three from out of state; dental students; past dental assistants; the endodontics department faculty, residents and staff. The volunteers enjoyed a reception that evening, which was made possible by B&L Biotech.

Nikita B. Ruparel, DDS, PhD, MS, associate professor and director of the advanced program in the department of endodontics, extended her thanks to all of the volunteers, with a special thank you to Moshtagh Farokhi, DDS, MPH, clinical professor in the School of Dentistry and dental director for the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic and Meilinn Tram, the student liaison, for coordinating the patients’ care. 

“The Domestic Access to Care Grant facilitates experience for our [endodontic] residents and engages them in community service. This, in my opinion, is an essential core value that all clinicians must possess. We are thrilled to be able to collaborate with underserved groups to offer root canal procedures to patients who would otherwise be unable to afford treatment,” said Ruparel.