In San Diego, a nonprofit dental clinic called Cura Smiles is quietly changing the lives of low-income people.
This grassroots organization, with volunteerism at its core, is committed to providing free dental care to communities that lack medical resources, helping them regain health and dignity.
Christine Passmore, executive director of Cura Smiles, recently announced that the clinic has received grants totaling more than $55,000 from four major donors to expand the clinic’s service capacity, which is expected to increase the number of patients benefiting this year by at least 10% to 275, a record high.
These donations come from the Las Patronas Foundation, the Del E. Webb Foundation, the Cushman Foundation, and the Sundt Foundation. The funds will help the clinic complete key facility upgrades, enhance the patient experience, and streamline operational processes.
Passmore said that this is not only about dental health, but also about the dignity of life: “Toothache is an almost unbearable torture, and the moment we relieve the pain for patients is the beginning of their road to recovery.”
Since its establishment in 2020, Cura Smiles has been operated almost entirely by volunteers, providing more than 5,000 hours of dental services, including low-income workers, new immigrants, and homeless people, more than 10% of whom are children.
In 2023, the agency’s service revenue reached US$415,000, and a total of about 20 dental professionals volunteered 1,232 hours.
The agency was founded by dentist Thomas Fitzpatrick, who worked in humanitarian medicine in Nicaragua for ten years. After returning to his country, he saw similar needs in the local community and founded Cura with like-minded colleagues. The name comes from Spanish, meaning “treatment” or “healing.”
Cura Smiles is open two to three days a week at the Church of the Nazarene Midtown campus (near University Avenue) and offers free food distribution at each free clinic.
They emphasize the connection between oral health and overall health: untreated dental problems can affect up to 125 health conditions, and if ignored for a long time, it will lead to a “systemic cycle of despair.”
Unlike other clinics that require proof of eligibility, Cura’s services are completely free and unlimited, and patients do not need to provide any documents. This makes it one of the most accessible medical resources in San Diego.
“The clients we serve are always grateful. They face difficulties that ordinary people cannot imagine. But they are people who deserve respect and help, and they deserve to have a bright smile.” Passmore said with emotion.