Philadelphia FIGHT Family Dentistry
Title: Needs Assessment of Philadelphia FIGHT Patient Population
Student Interns:
Alexis Suk
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Abby Quinn Peterson, DMD, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Elizabeth Powell, DDS, MPH
University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Daniel Mariche-Poirot, DMD
Philadelphia FIGHT Family Dentistry
Community Site:
Philadelphia FIGHT Family Dentistry is a community health center providing dental care to low-income and marginalized communities in Philadelphia, regardless of insurance status. Services include exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and dentures, with a trauma-informed approach for patients with dental anxiety. The clinic uses a sliding fee scale based on income and turns no one away for inability to pay.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps intern’s project at Philadelphia FIGHT focused on identifying barriers to care contributing to missed patient appointments and supporting oral health education efforts. Work included designing and distributing a bilingual (English and Spanish) survey to assess challenges patients face in keeping appointments, as well as outreach calls to no-show patients to better understand their circumstances. The intern contacted local businesses for donated prizes, which were used to create a raffle incentive to encourage survey participation. In addition, the intern created educational flyers on oral health topics and assisted the on-site dental hygienist during patient care. The final product included a completed set of survey data intended to help the site better understand and address gaps in patient access to care.
Reflections
My time with the BTG CHIP program has shaped both who I am and the kind of provider I want to become. Working at Philadelphia FIGHT pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to learn to work and find purpose in tasks that weren’t strictly clinical. This experience strengthened my resilience and adaptability, which I couldn’t have developed in a classroom alone. Beyond the site itself, this program deepened my understanding of what community health really requires. It’s not just about the services provided, but about the trust, patience, and consistency built through daily relationships with patients and coworkers alike. I also gained a clearer sense of the barriers many patients face in accessing care, from language gaps to competing life priorities, and how easily well-meaning efforts can still leave people out. Most importantly, BTG reminded me to lead with compassion, both with patients and with the people closest to me. I’m leaving this experience with a stronger commitment to practicing medicine with empathy, humility, and genuine attentiveness to the people I serve.
Alexis Suk
Partners
