Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Elbert Tom leads mission trips at the UCLA School of Dentistry, providing students with the opportunity to offer dental care to communities abroad and in the Greater Los Angeles area.
4/4/2025 12:00:00 AM § Alisa Egecioglu, Global Data Coordinator
Dr. Elbert Tom has always had a passion to help others. After graduating from dental school, his first experience in volunteerism was at a community clinic in Pacoima, California. In the following decades, he took on leadership roles at the UCLA School of Dentistry, where he is currently Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor and Group Practice Director. Dr. Tom has introduced mission trips to the dental school, encouraging students to join him on trips to various locations. On mission trips, students have the opportunity to practice altruism by offering dental care to communities that lack medical resources.
International mission trips under Dr. Tom’s supervision have included locations such as Mexico and Honduras. During a recent mission trip to Mexico, UCLA dental students addressed the dental needs of Central American refugees in the process of seeking asylum. Despite difficult circumstances including weather and resource limitations, the team was able to provide care to over 100 patients, including children. Students gained experience working in an unfamiliar environment while developing an appreciation for humanitarian dentistry.
In addition to international mission trips, Dr. Tom also leads local mission trips. Logistically, it is often easier to gather students and arrange to provide dental care at clinics closer to UCLA. The team primarily works with three non-profit organizations in the Greater Los Angeles area: the Kids; Community Dental Clinic, Healing California, and Care Harbor. During these mission trips, students spend a day offering dental care to a community in need, making a local impact.
Dr. Tom considers his students the “young minds and young hearts” who can learn from mission trips and continue practicing humanitarian dentistry after graduation. He continues to train and inspire the next generation who he believes can help shape the future of dentistry. Recently, Dr. Tom has been contacted by organizations in Jamaica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines who expressed interest in being the next destination for one of his mission trips.