About
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A Black and White Affair
Thank you to all of our generous patrons and guests who attended "A Black and White Affair" !
The event was a tremendous success, raising over $80,000 for the clinic to go directly to patient care!
CLICK HERE to see a Complete List of our Sponsors
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The Interfaith Dental Clinic is a 501(c)(3) program founded to bring people of all faiths together in a healing ministry, serving the working poor through quality, comprehensive dental care.
The clinic does NOT see walk-in patients, and the current waiting period for new patient visits is 12-14 weeks. An application to become a patient is available for pickup at our office, and an online version will be available soon.
Our Mission
The mission of the Interfaith Dental Clinic is to restore, protect, and improve the oral health of uninsured, low-income, working people and their children in the greater Nashville area.
The clinic’s goals are:
• To offer affordable dental care for Middle Tennessee’s working poor.
• To improve patients’ self-esteem by restoring their appearance
• To increase employability and work attendance by lessening pain and improving appearance.
• To educate patients about oral hygiene and nutrition to break the cycle of tooth decay in their families.
History
After doing volunteer dentistry in third-world countries, Dr. Tom Underwood committed himself to helping hard working people right here in Middle Tennessee that were in just as desperate need of dental care but could not afford it. With the help of the Nashville Dental Society and the Outreach Commission of West End United Methodist Church, Dr. Underwood initiated the Interfaith Dental Clinic in November of 1994 to provide affordable dental care for working poor families who fall between the cracks of private practice and public healthcare.
The clinic started with a two-chair operation and one employee in the basement of West End United Methodist Church. In 1998, Interfaith Dental Clinic moved into its own building at 1721 Patterson Street. The clinic has 10 operatories, 13 employees, and state-of-the-art equipment.
Funding
• 25% of the clinic’s operating budget is met by patient fees.
• Less than 2% of the clinic’s revenue comes from government sources.
• The clinic currently receives about 9% of its annual revenue from United Way’s Community Solutions Fund
• Interfaith depends on generous individuals, foundations, companies, and congregations to subsidize its services through regular contributions.
