The Special Patient Care Fund for Excellence

Providing oral health care to those who need it most

Under the leadership of Dr. Eric Sung, UCLA Special Patient Care has become the premier destination in California for our most vulnerable patients seeking oral health care treatment. Our patient population includes patients with end stage organ disease, different types of cancers and their associated therapies, complex syndromes, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, and dementia.

Over the course of a year, the UCLA SPC clinic administers over 3,000 special patient visits. Our scope of services includes standard general dentistry, oral hygiene, urgent and emergency care, and oral disease prevention, as well as more advanced and complex treatments such as root canal therapy, periodontal treatment, extractions, and advanced restorative procedures. For most of our patients, UCLA SPC is the only clinic or facility in the area able to provide them with the advanced level of dental care they require.

UCLA SPC is also working to address the shortage of trained providers for special needs patients with our post- doctoral General Practice Residency program. Training six dentists annually, this program is nationally recognized as one of the top facilities providing training specific to the care of complex and severely challenged special needs patients. Additionally, UCLA SPC provides volunteer opportunities and clinical shadowing experiences to expose predoctoral dental students to this specialized area of care.

Your support for the Special Patient Care Fund enables us to continue providing vital oral health care to those who need it most in our community. At the UCLA School of Dentistry, we are proud to be the leading institution currently working to address this nation-wide public health crisis. We appreciate your support in this endeavor.