Key Points

• More than 800 underserved children and teenagers in Utah received free dental care from the Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine.
• Dental students, faculty and staff provided an estimated $187,000 in services in a single day during the college’s annual Back-to-School Brush Up™ event.
• This outreach was made possible by a grant from Marathon Petroleum’s Salt Lake City refinery, which has supported the event for five consecutive years.

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Hundreds of children and teenagers from underserved areas of Utah recently received free essential dental care through an opportunity that might not have come any other way. Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine conducted one of the largest oral health outreach initiatives in its history, providing an estimated $187,000 in free services.

In a single day, a volunteer team of more than 300 dental students, faculty members and staff provided complimentary dental screenings, cleanings, optional fluoride varnish treatments and oral health education to 848 patients. The team also distributed 125 vouchers for future dental care. This effort, part of the college’s annual Back-to-School Brush Up™ event, was made possible by a grant from Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s (MPC) Salt Lake City refinery.

“This support created meaningful opportunities to improve oral health outcomes for children across the region,” said Dr. David McMillan, who is a faculty member at Roseman’s College of Dental Medicine and oversaw involvement by the student volunteers. “Our data show that 58% of the families reported having no dental insurance, and 54% of the patients had either urgent or moderate treatment needs.”

The event marked the fifth consecutive year MPC’s refinery has provided financial assistance.

“In working with Roseman over the years, we have come to understand the level of need for these services,” MPC Senior Corporate Social Responsibility & Community Relations Representative Dean Adam said. “It’s very gratifying to know that we are helping to reach young people with necessary care at critical points in their growth and development.”

“Our data show that 58% of the families reported having no dental insurance, and 54% of the patients had either urgent or moderate treatment needs.”

The refinery is looking ahead to supporting a similar outreach event scheduled for next February at the College of Dental Medicine, one of four colleges within Roseman University of Health Sciences.

“With the generous support of Marathon Petroleum, Roseman University continues to make quality dental care accessible to vulnerable populations while promoting lifelong healthy habits,” Dr. McMillan said.