Connections are made and lost throughout one's academic and professional careers. A connection made by Kris Volcheck, DDS, MBA (ASU '91) during his MBA Program at ASU altered his life forever. Happily, for literally thousands of homeless men, women and children, a seemingly simple connection lead to the nation's only dental clinic specifically designed to serve the homeless population. The success of the CASS Dental Clinic is owed to the vision of its founder and dental director Kris Volcheck.

Following graduation from Emory University in 1985, Kris began a successful career in dentistry by establishing a private practice in Globe, Arizona. Although his clinical skills were top-notch, Kris felt he needed to learn more about the business of dentistry and business in general. He began his MBA Program at ASU fully unaware of the path that would soon be presented to him. Just as Kris was graduating from the MBA program, he met Mary Orton, then Executive Director of Central Arizona Shelter Services. Mary persuaded Dr. Volcheck to volunteer at the CASS single adult homeless shelter. Kris started volunteering in the evenings and on the weekends while he was still practicing dentistry. On the career side, now that he had his MBA finished, Kris started earnestly looking for a way to combine his two degrees into a marketable new career. Kris had no idea that he would soon become "hooked" by the huge challenge of working with the homeless, as well as the huge rewards in helping men and women in need. Kris closed his dental practice in 1993 and became a full-time case manager at CASS!

For the next seven years Dr. Volcheck witnessed first hand the devastating effects homelessness can have on an individual's oral health. Although the homeless shelter was just about the last place that Kris thought his multiple degrees would be put to good use, he was fortunately wrong. He began to realize that his MBA and the DDS might be the key to bringing much needed care and service to the men and women he was meeting at the shelter. In late 1999, using every bit of his experience as a dentist, his knowledge of the homeless population, and his marketing tools from his MBA from ASU, Dr. Volcheck began what would turn out to be one of his most challenging endeavors. Working in collaboration with the Arizona State Office of Oral Health and Maricopa County Healthcare for the Homeless Clinic, Dr. Volcheck began preparations for the state's only all volunteer dental clinic for the homeless.
On January 1st, 2001 Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Dental Clinic for the Homeless opened in a two room dental trailer on loan from the Department of Oral Health. Located in a vacant lot alongside the main shelter facility, the Clinic began service with one dentist (Kris) and one hygienist/assistant. Quickly, word of the Clinic spread and a dedicated staff was joined by 20 volunteer dentists, 20 dental labs providing donated services, 15 volunteer hygienists and five dental assistants. That first year, the CASS Dental Clinic provided comprehensive dental care to 500 homeless men and women.

Just a year after establishing the CASS Dental Clinic, Dr. Volcheck had to again use every bit of his resources, including that now quite useful MBA. Kris began the task to take the CASS Dental Clinic from a 2 chair dental trailer to an 8-chair facility permanently located on the Human Services Campus in downtown Phoenix. Kris approached approximately 20 different companies and foundations to assist with his effort for the homeless. The clinic was marketed as a way for the companies to spread goodwill and receive good media exposure, but it was also marketed from the business aspect. With over 500 dental volunteers and students passing through the clinic, this was an opportunity for these companies to show off their products to all these prospective customers. This new $1.3 million dental clinic is entirely digital and includes eight patient treatment rooms, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and operatory supplies contributed by local and national dental supply companies. Presently, the Clinic has provided dental care valued at many millions of dollars to thousands of homeless men, women, and children. It is now one of the largest volunteer clinics in the nation.

As a comprehensive dental clinic, CASS provides fillings, cleanings, root canals, dentures and partials, extractions, crowns and bridges, veneers, implants, cosmetic dentistry and even some plastic surgery. These services would not be possible without the many volunteers that selflessly provide their time and services. Volunteers have laid the foundation for the CASS Dental Clinic, and remain at the heart of the Clinic's ability to serve the dental needs of the homeless population in Phoenix. Over 500 doctors and students in every area of dentistry, hygienists, dental assistants, and dental labs throughout the nation, volunteer their time and services to the CASS Dental Clinic.

The strong volunteer base, as well as the Clinic's partnership with the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, set the Clinic apart from other dental programs. The Clinic serves as a teaching facility for fourth year dental students from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. The Clinic is also home to students from Rio Salado College School of Dental Hygiene, Phoenix College Dental Hygiene School, Rio Salado College Dental Assisting School, and Phoenix College Dental Assisting School. All students work under the guidance of adjunct faculty. In 2010, these students will be joined by third and fourth year dental students from the new Mid-Western School of Dentistry.

Following its success in serving adults, in March 2007, the CASS Dental Clinic expanded to include a Children's Dental Clinic for homeless children and young adults. With this expansion the Clinic is now working to address the prevention of childhood caries through educational outreach for parents, focusing on proper dental health and hygiene, as well as basic dental restoration for homeless youth in the Valley in need of dental care. Children are referred to the Clinic from the Vista Colina Emergency Family Shelter, HomeBase Youth Services, Maggie's Place, Children First Academy in Tempe, and the Murphy School District. The clinic has seen several thousand homeless children since its beginning.

As a result of his continuous work as Dental Director at CASS, Dr. Volcheck was named 2006 Dentist of the Year by the Arizona Dental Association. In 2006 he was also named a "HealthCare Hero" by the Phoenix Business Journal. He was a Trendsetter in Trends Magazine, and a finalist for the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Award. Dr. Volcheck regularly speaks at the Annual National Healthcare for the Homeless Conference, and was asked by the state of Arizona to help assist with the dental needs of Hurricane Katrina victims in 2006. In addition to serving as Dental Director, Dr. Volcheck frequently provides technical assistance to human service agencies across the country wishing to establish similar dental programs. San Antonio, Texas, is the latest city to be assisted by Dr. Volcheck. Locally, in the Phoenix Metropolitan area Dr. Volcheck has just assisted with the new John C. Lincoln Hospital Dental Clinic for Children.

He has presented this national model to all major cities in the United States. In January 2009, he also presented in Bangalore, India. These presentations and assistance throughout the USA and internationally are intended to help other cities to develop and run successful programs servicing the dental needs of underserved populations.

Present

Dr. Kris Volcheck is working with Bangalore (Puttaparthi), India's dental clinic at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute, to duplicate as many components of the CASS Clinic that are culturally relevant to India.

Kris has now opened another new dental clinic based on a new model of oral health that has PREVENTION at its core. The new model is to serve the impoverished community located a few miles southwest of downtown Phoenix. This model allows the dental professional to see every child within the community every three months. Each child is treated every three months with cavity preventing fluoride varnish, sealants and a cleaning. This model has shown to dramatically reduce the caries rate in children over a three year period. This model was set up similar to the CASS model with the ability to be duplicated throughout Phoenix and the rest of the country. This project to serve children in the community is in collaboration with the first domestic Rotary Club of America Medical/Dental/Educational complex and the Murphy School District. Dr. Volcheck will present this model, along with the CASS model, at his next national conference for the homeless.

Dr. Volcheck, in collaboration with two volunteers, Dr. Gretchen Henson and Dr. Mark Costes, has recently opened an accredited dental assisting program on-site at the CASS Dental Clinic. This dental assisting program teaches homeless clients and members of the community to become certified dental assistants. This not only helps with the ever increasing demand for qualified dental assistants in the Phoenix area, it also meets CASS's goal of helping our homeless clients and members of the community to be ever more self-sufficient.

Kris will continue to present within the USA and internationally about these two models that serve oral health needs of the underserved.

Education

  • MBA, Arizona State University, 1991, Magna cum Laude, Beta Gamma Sigma
  • DDS, Emory University, 1985
  • BS, University of Pittsburgh, 1981

 

Awards

  • 2001 Direct Service Provider of the Year from the AZ Coalition to End Homelessness
  • 2002 Inducted into the Golden Key Society at Arizona State University
  • 2002 Trendsetter by Trends Magazine
  • 2003 Nominated for 2003 HealthCare Hero in the Dental Industry by the Phoenix Business Journal
  • 2004 CASS Dental Clinic "Nonprofit Excellence in Collaboration Award" from SRP and the Volunteer Center of Maricopa County
  • 2006 Dentist of the Year, Arizona Dental Association
  • 2006 HealthCare Hero in the Dental Industry by the Phoenix Business Journal
  • 2006 Finalist for the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Award
  • 2008 Mary Haywood Award for 15 years of service to the homeless community.

Professional Associations

  • American Dental Association
  • Arizona Dental Association
  • Central Arizona Dental Association
  • Academy of General Dentistry
  • Academy of HIV Medicine
  • Adjunct faculty member at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health
  • Member of the City of Phoenix Crystal Meth Task Force