Help LPDS Attend Dental Advocacy Day 2025
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WHO WE ARE
Hello! We are the Latinx Pre-Dental Society (LPDS), a student-run organization at UCLA dedicated to supporting pre-dental students while addressing oral health disparities within and beyond the Latinx community.
Our mission is to:
- Support pre-dental students in their academic, professional, and clinical journeys, offering free dental student mentorship, hands-on dental skills, dental clinical training and volunteering, and professional development workshops.
- Advocate for dental policies that improve coverage for neglected patient populations, address dental workforce shortages and conduct vital dental research. We are thrilled to have launched "Fillings," an LPDS platform highlighting patient and membership anecdotes to raise awareness of current dental care gaps.
- Outreach dental services to diverse patient populations through health fairs, including bilingual dental education pamphlets, dental screenings from a dental provider, dental health kits for immediate dental care, and low-cost dental clinic referrals.
- Collaborate with UCLA Organizations to expand dental services, including the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) at UCLA and Western University School of Dentistry, Latinx/Chicanxs for Community Medicine (LCCM), Latino Student Health Project (LSHP), UCLA USAC General Representatives 1 Office, In Motion Dentists, San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center (SGPRC).
At LPDS, we believe that dentistry is not an isolated field—it is directly tied to the overall well-being and quality of life of individuals. Dental health outcomes are shaped by a magnitude of interconnected health factors, including social, economic, and environmental determinants. Our mission is to approach dentistry in a holistic, multi-layered, and interdisciplinary manner, ensuring that both preventive care and policy advocacy address the broader context of health disparities that impact diverse communities.
WHY WE'RE FUNDRAISING
To fulfill our advocacy mission, the LPDS Research & Advocacy team aims to attend Dental Advocacy Day in Washington DC in April 2025.
This annual event brings together dental professionals, dental students, and policymakers at the U.S. Capitol to advocate for legislation that improves dental care access, strengthens support for the dental workforce, and funds dental research. By attending we aim to:
- Empower and uplift patient voices by advocating for policies and legislation that address oral health disparities affecting neglected dental patient populations.
- Present original LPDS research and data, conducted by attendees and volunteers, to elected officials, ensuring that the needs of vulnerable communities are heard at the national level.
- Provide Latinx pre-dental students with a transformative opportunity to gain first-hand experience in dental/health policy and advocacy.
WHY YOUR DONATION MATTERS
Last year, LPDS was represented at Dental Advocacy Day by a single attendee. While the experience was invaluable, the absence of other pre-dental students highlighted the need for greater representation of future dental professionals—particularly those from underrepresented communities—in these critical advocacy spaces.
This year, LPDS is determined to change that by bringing 8 dedicated members to Dental Advocacy Day 2025. Increasing representation ensures that diverse voices, perspectives, and lived experiences are included in conversations that shape the future of dental care.
While the team is working tirelessly to meet financial goals through grants and local fundraisers, additional support is essential to make this opportunity a reality.
Your donation will help:
- Close flight and housing costs to eliminate financial barriers that would otherwise prevent members from attending.
- Fund the development of original LPDS research and data to supplement lobbying efforts for dental care legislation to elected officials at the US Capitol.
- Cover preparatory materials including training guides, policy briefs, leave-behind packets for policymakers, and LPDS pins to ensure LPDS attendees are well-represented with professionalism and confidence.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Every donation, no matter the amount, plays a vital role in helping LPDS increase representation, advocate for equitable dental care, and empower future dental professionals. Your generosity directly supports our mission and brings us one step closer to ensuring that first-generation voices are heard at the national level.
Thank you for believing in our cause and supporting our journey to Dental Advocacy Day 2025!
Organizer and beneficiary
Latinx Pre-Dental Society UCLA
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Javier Rodriguez
Beneficiary