PROJECT: Partner with existing mobile clinics to expand dental cleanings, hand out dental kits, and share oral health information to address oral health care disparities for people experiencing homelessness.

Tiffany J. Chen is a dental student at the UCLA School of Dentistry. After earning her bachelor’s degree in biology at UCLA, she began working closely with medically underserved communities through community health centers, health fair screening services, and mobile kitchens. It was through these experiences that she developed a deep passion for advocating for and serving populations experiencing homelessness. She has volunteered at various organizations including the Good Shepherd Shelter, Share a Meal Mobile Community Clinic, and Samaritan House, and co-founded the Healthy and Powerful You Health Fair at UCLA.

As a student in the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program, Chen has served in volunteer and leadership roles with the UCLA American Student Dental Association, organizing and leading oral health education programs for children at local schools, Boys and Girls clubs, and community centers, as well as co-leading planning of regional meetings and conferences as chair of the District 11 Cabinet Conference Committee.

She firmly believes that oral health is connected to systemic health, having witnessed firsthand in these populations how oral diseases can exacerbate or reflect chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Chen aspires to combine her ongoing dental education with her past experiences in cardiovascular and diabetes research, community medicine, and public health to advance oral health equity for underserved populations.