Our Crowdfunding Groups
Dr. No-Hee Park, Dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry, has pledged that the school will match every donation to Operation Bruin Smiles, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000!
This means that your donation of $100 equals $200 toward dental care for UCLA student veterans and former foster youth. With a successful campaign, we’ll have raised $20,000 ($10,000 matching + $10,000 campaign goal) to provide dental care to 40+ veterans and former foster youth!
Dean No-Hee Park, thank you for your commitment to supporting Operation Bruin Smiles, and a huge thank you to all of our donors!
-----
Operation Bruin Smiles is a student-run program at the UCLA School of Dentistry that helps offset the cost of quality dental care for UCLA student veterans and/or former foster youth. Our program also provides an opportunity for students in these historically underrepresented populations to learn more about pursuing a career in the field of dentistry.
“I got my smile back. Having this work done has completely renewed my confidence. Words can’t express how thankful I am to Operation Bruin Smiles and to the students who helped me.”
- Rodrick F., UCLA undergraduate student and U.S. Army veteran
There are approximately 400 total undergraduate and graduate UCLA student veterans and/or former foster youth who are eligible for the Operation Bruin Smiles program. We asked UCLA student veterans and former foster youth to complete a survey. A total of 65 UCLA student veterans and former foster youth responded to the surveys that were emailed by the Bruin Resource Center in 2015, and they were subsequently scheduled for a screening appointment, x-rays, and exam.
Eligible participants can receive up to $500 in subsidy funding to cover common dental procedures such as cleanings, fillings, crowns, root canals, extractions, and dentures that are not covered by insurance.
UCLA undergraduate student and U.S. Army veteran Rodrick F. (middle) smiles with U.S. Army veteran Tigon Abalos (left) and Brian Lehigh (right), Co-Founders of Operation Bruin Smiles. Abalos and Lehigh belong to the UCLA School of Dentistry DDS Class of 2016.
We need your help! Both veterans and foster youth are vulnerable populations that face significant barriers to reliable health and dental care due to income disparities, lack of awareness of resources, and the difficulty of navigating government assistance programs. Operation Bruin Smiles provides these two student populations with direct access to high-quality, affordable dental care.
By donating to our campaign, you are directly supporting a student veteran or foster youth with access to comprehensive dental care.
Please visit our website for more information about additional ways to get involved:
http://veteranserviceucla.webflow.io/
Thank you to all of our supporters! If you are interested in becoming a featured supporter, please contact us.
Funding provided (in part) by a grant from the ADA Foundation.
Your donation will go a long way. We really appreciate your support!
From left to right: Brian Lunt (DDS '19), Blake Colling (DDS '19), Daniel Citron (DDS '19)
From left to right: Melissa Lin (DDS '18), Tigon Abalos (DDS '16), Edmond R. Hewlett, DDS, Brian Lehigh (DDS '16), Elie Weiss (DDS '17), Ben Rosenbaum (DDS '18)
Not pictured: Ryan Evans (DDS '17)
Special thanks to Max Bachour, Mallory Gompert, Brianna Aldrich, and Jarrett Oakley for making this campaign possible!
Check out Operation Bruin Smiles in the news!
Thanks for your donation! Keep an eye out for a "thank you" email from us.
Thank you! With your gift, we are able to provide oral hygiene supplies for our patients. Look out for a personalized "thank you" Facebook post from Operation Bruin Smiles!
Thank you for supporting Operation Bruin Smiles! You've helped us pay for a dental cleaning appointment for a UCLA student veteran and/or former foster youth. We'd like to thank you with a UCLA School of Dentistry bumper sticker to acknowledge your contribution in addition to the recognition listed above. (A $59 tax deductible gift).
With a $100 donation, you've provided a tooth filling for our patients. We would like to show our appreciation with a reusable UCLA School of Dentistry grocery bag as well as all of the perks listed above! (A $94 tax deductible gift)
Thank you so much for your contribution! You have funded 6 months of dental care for a UCLA student veteran and/or former foster youth. We would like to show our appreciation by listing your name on the Donors page of our website, as well as all of the gifts above. (A $244 tax deductible gift)
We're so grateful for your gift! Your contribution is paying for dental care for a year for one of UCLA's own student veterans and/or former foster youth through Operation Bruin Smiles. To say thank you, we would like to send you a personalized letter of appreciation from one of our student veterans and/or former foster youth, as well as every gift listed above. (A $494 tax deductible gift)
You're an inspiration to us all. Your contribution is completely funding care for two student veterans and/or former foster youth. For such a generous donation, we would like to offer you all the gifts above and our eternal gratitude. (A $994 tax deductible gift)