Some community colleges offer free basic dental care to students

California’s community colleges serve students’ basic needs in a variety of ways, including help with food, housing, transportation or funding for laundry, utilities or books; some colleges have added free dental care to the essential services, the LAist reported. 

The community colleges partner with local dental clinics or their own resources to give students access to dental care, which is still rare among basic needs services, the LAist reported. 

According to the LAist, Antelope Valley College, through an ongoing partnership with a clinic about 15 minutes from campus, provides students with a voucher for dental work, including free X-rays, oral exams, teeth cleanings and other basic dental services. All students, regardless of insurance or legal status, can get a voucher each semester. 

In a one-time partnership last year, Long Beach City College provided off-campus oral care for students through a local clinic’s day-of service, the LAist reported. The college plans to host similar events in the future. 

The LAist reported that other colleges, such as Pasadena City College and West L.A. College, offer in-house services through on-campus clinics. For example, Pasadena City College has a dental hygiene clinic that provides low-cost services for students and community members. The teeth cleanings, X-rays and sealants are performed by dental hygiene students.