Miami Free Dental Event: Mobile Pop-Up Clinic Offering Services To Remote Areas

If you’ve been in need of dental care but you just haven’t been able to afford it, you’re not alone. America is facing an unprecedented dental health crisis, and many people can’t get the treatment they require because of the costs. But there are options available, and Dr. Catrise Austin, founder of VIP Smiles Dentistry and host of the Let’s Talk Smiles podcast, explores them with her guest, Miami-based dentist and community advocate, Dr. Joshua Golden.

Listen to the podcast at https://letstalksmilespodcast.com

America’s Dental Health Crisis

Millions of Americans struggle with untreated cavities and other oral health issues due to high costs or lack of insurance, says VIP Smiles Dentistry. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that roughly 74 million Americans do not have dental coverage, leading many to forgo essential care; as a result, one in four adults have untreated cavities, along with other oral health issues. 

Marginalized communities are disproportionately affected, as they are consistently underserved and often lack access to treatment.

Resources for Black and Brown Dentistry Students

Acknowledging these issues as a product of systemic socioeconomic and racial inequities, Dr. Golden was inspired to found The Golden Foundation, a nonprofit organization designed to support Black and Brown post-secondary students with scholarships, resource access, and mentorships for dentistry, medicine, engineering, and entrepreneurship. You could say that this is a golden opportunity for any young Black or Brown talent aspiring to be a dentist. 

Want to learn more about said opportunity? Visit https://www.mygoldenfoundation.com/ to read all about it!

Free Mobile Dental Clinics

But that’s not all. Dr. Golden is deeply involved with the Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps (RAM), a program that brings free dental and eye care to underserved areas through mobile clinics. 

In Let’s Talk Smiles, he and Dr. Austin discuss RAM’s schedule, noting that a clinic is set to open at the Miami Gardens RAM event from April 26 to April 27. There, it will provide the community with hygienic services, extractions, fillings, and other essential dental services on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can check out the event by visiting https://www.ramusa.org/events/miami-gardens-florida/

More Affordable Dental Care Resources

Aside from RAM’s mobile clinics, Dr. Austin says in her podcast that you can search for local resources that offer affordable dental care. These include nonprofit organizations and community health centers, which may provide services free of charge; dental schools will also often offer lower-cost treatments provided by supervised students.

Dr. Austin has compiled a list of other resources in her ebook, Affordable Dental Care in the USA. You can download it at https://vipsmiles.com/affordable-dental-care-a-dr-catrise-austin-guide/

And of course, Dr. Golden himself is a trusted dentist in his community, and he offers a range of dental services that can meet a variety of oral health and cosmetic needs. He also accepts insurance and provides his patients with many other payment options, staying true to his goal of making dental care more accessible to everyone. If you want to schedule an appointment with him, just look for West Sunrise Dentistry - one of the top practices in the community!

Or, visit https://www.westsunrisedentistry.com/ to learn more!