HPU’s Workman School of Dental Medicine Provides More Than $33,000 in Free Dental Care to Families
HIGH POINT, N.C., July 9, 2026 – Students, faculty and staff members from High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine provided more than $33,000 in free dental care to immigrant and refugee families in celebration of National Oral Health Month in June.
Seventy-three volunteers from the dental school provided free comprehensive exams and teeth cleanings to 44 adults and children during Faith in Smiles, a large oral health outreach event held at HPU Health’s Greensboro Dental Specialists location on June 27. The event was funded by the North Carolina Dental Society Foundation and NC Services for Dentistry.
Forty HPU dental students and 33 faculty and staff members volunteered to make the day of service possible. It was the largest day of service that the Workman School of Dental Medicine has held since it welcomed its inaugural class of students in Fall 2024. The total amount of free dental care that HPU provided throughout the day totaled $33,411.
In addition to the free exams and cleanings, volunteers used the dental school’s mobile clinic as an education station. Participants were able to sit in the dental chairs inside the mobile clinic and learn from a dental team member as to how often they should visit a dentist and what to expect during a visit.
“Participating in the Faith in Smiles Day of Service was an unforgettable experience and a reminder of why I chose to pursue dentistry,” said Denerick Simpson, president of the Workman School of Dental Medicine’s Student National Dental Association and a dental student from Savannah, Georgia. “As a rising third-year dental student, it was incredibly meaningful to serve families in our community and help provide care that can have a lasting impact on their overall health and well-being. The day reinforced that dentistry is about so much more than treating teeth, but it’s about building trust, improving quality of life and meeting people where they are. Working alongside faculty, staff and my classmates to serve others strengthened my commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care and inspired me to continue using my skills to make a difference in the communities I serve.”
The Workman School of Dental School partnered with FaithAction International, a local nonprofit organization that works to serve and empower new immigrants and refugees, on Faith in Smiles. The dental school also partnered with the nonprofit to offer free dental care to approximately 47 immigrants and refugees as part of HPU’s annual tradition of treating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a “day on, not a day off” on Jan. 20, 2025.
“For me, Faith in Smiles was more than a day of providing dental care. It was a chance to show our High Point and area community that we are here for them,” said Dr. Ricardo Walter, clinical professor and director of clinical research in the Workman School of Dental Medicine. “Caring for people who need us most is at the heart of what we do, and it was a meaningful day of service, connection and shared stories.”
The dental school regularly provides free care to community members, including veterans, teachers and first responders. In March of 2025, faculty, staff and students offered free exams, X-rays, cleanings and extractions during a North Carolina Missions of Mercy dental clinic for adults in need. The volunteers served as dental hygienists, assistants, sterilization technicians, supply station managers and interpreters for patients at the two-day clinic in the city of High Point.
