Homeless Not Toothless (HNT) is a 501c3 nonprofit that has provided free and low-cost dental care to disadvantaged populations, including Veterans, the unhoused, poor, mentally ill, physically disabled, foster youth, domestic violence survivors, and the elderly, greater Los Angeles and surrounding areas since 1991. A particular focus is on veterans with disabilities, including PTSD. Patients receive dental screenings, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, oral health education, and surgeries such as extractions, as well as dentures, free of charge (as long as funding still exists) or for any donation amount.
Read our reviews from our grateful patients and from our generous providers
Our Mission
Homeless Not Toothless (HNT) is a 501C(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing free and low-cost quality dental care to Veterans, the unhoused, foster youth, and low-income persons in Los Angeles. HNT has provided more than $10 million in services to over 124,000 patients with dozens of dental offices in the greater Los Angeles area contributing.
Most of our patients are referred by the Veterans Health Administration, LA Department of Family Services, and local shelters. In addition, HNT works closely with Planet Hope, a nonprofit run by Kelly & Sharon Stone. And none of this could be possible without the help and support from our contributors.
UCLA School of Dentistry 4th year student Bradley Salvatore performed $20,000 worth of dentistry on veteran Matthew Burk, restoring his smile to perfection!
To date (2023), the organization has served over 124,000 patients, and services rendered exceed $10 million in donated treatment. Currently, HNT provides care to more than 15,000 people each year and has more than 1,000 patients on a waiting list for dental care. Services are provided by volunteer dentists and volunteer dental students performing clinical rotations in public health dentistry, primarily from the UCLA School of Dentistry and Western University College of Dentistry. The program has established partnerships with community organizations, including the California Veterans Assistance Foundation, the West Los Angeles Veteran Administration, local shelters, and the American Legion, which refers patients to the applicant organization.
Donated funds will be used primarily to purchase dental and office supplies and lab fees. They average a single-digit overhead (8% in 2020), as there are no salaries or rent.
Expected outcomes for Homeless Not Toothless include decreasing the population of unhoused veterans and disabled people living with chronic dental pain and increasing dental prevention through education, thus facilitating the ability of this population to rejoin the workforce.
Ultimately, the organization also plans to develop a model based on its program that can be used by other states or nationally to provide this level of dental care to other states’ disadvantaged populations.
More than $10 million has been provided in pro-bono dental services, including cleanings, cavity fillings, extractions, dentures, and more.
HNT opened its doors for the first time in 1991, serving the greater Los Angeles community.
More than 124,000 people have been provided dental treatments including veterans, homeless, and foster youth.
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The volunteers who make up our team at Homeless Not Toothless are comprised of dentists, dental students, and dental labs, all of whom donate their time and services to provide quality pro bono work, and extraordinary celebrities willing to share their spotlight with HNT in using their platform to share about the nonprofit.
Are you interested in getting involved? We are always looking for ways to expand Homeless Not Toothless outside of Los Angeles, raising awareness, having new and more volunteers, and raising funds to continue our efforts.
Are you a dentist looking to incorporate philanthropic work into your practice? Contact us today so we can provide you with the steps to having HNT be apart of your dental office.
We are always looking for more volunteers. Whether you're in a residency dental program, operate dental labs, or have access to sharing and spreading the word on HNT, we want you!
One of the quickest ways to make a difference for us is with a donation to HNT. Money raised is used to pay for lab fees, dental chair rentals, busing in patients, etc.
