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Abstract

The Fair Chance at a Bright Smile (FCAABS) program represents a humanistic, community- centered approach to dentistry that redefines access, education, and dignity in oral health. Developed and refined through a year-long pilot partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District, FCAABS integrates preventive dental care, oral health education, and career exposure for students from pre-kindergarten through high school. This manuscript argues that beyond clinical outcomes, FCAABS reveals a deeper truth: oral health is intrinsically social, emotional, and moral. It examines the program through the lens of the humanities and ethics, exploring how narrative, empathy, and cultural context inform both patient experience and provider identity. It reflects on the dentist’s evolving role—not only as clinician, but also as storyteller, educator, and bridge-builder to communities historically marginalized by healthcare systems. By engaging students’ lived experiences and cultural identities, FCAABS challenges transactional norms and positions oral health as a form of social justice. The program’s impact extends beyond reduced caries risk to cultivate agency, awareness, and belonging. In doing so, it invites the profession to view prevention not as a procedure, but as a dignifying partnership.

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