Howard Dental Students and Faculty Deliver Critical Care at Eastern Shore Mission of Mercy

Advancing Access to Care Through Service, Collaboration, and Clinical Excellence.

Students, faculty, and residents from Howard University College of Dentistry recently made a powerful impact at the Eastern Shore Mission Mercy 2026, a two day outreach event in Salisbury, Maryland, dedicated to providing free dental care to underserved communities.

Approximately 30 fourth year dental students joined forces with University of Maryland dental students, licensed, dentists, specialists, and volunteers to deliver essential oral health services to nearly 1,275 patients. Together, they provided a wide range of treatments, including extractions, fillings, cleanings, and oral health education, addressing urgent and often unmet dental needs.

Supported by faculty leaders Dr. Taylor-Bishop, Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Osada, Dr. Frieder, Dr. Hailu, Dr. Downs, Dr. Farquharson, and alumnus Dr. David Bishop, the Howard team played a key role in high demand service areas such as oral surgery and restorative care. In total, the clinic delivered more than $180,000 in dental services, including approximately 400 extractions and 360 restorative procedures.

Beyond clinical care, the experience provided students with invaluable hands on training while reinforcing Howard's mission of service.

"This experience highlights the importance of access to care and the impact we can make as future dental professionals,” shared one participating student. “Being able to serve nearly a thousand patients in just two days is both humbling and inspiring.”

The Eastern Shore Mission of Mercy exemplifies the power of collaboration across the dental community, and Howard University College of Dentistry remains at the forefront of that effort, preparing future leaders committed to advancing oral health equity.