VOLUNTEER DENTISTS NEEDED
2022 Stand Down - Pasco County 
April 29th - 30th

The Stand Down held in Pasco County is open to all Veterans with an emphasis on Veterans in Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Hernando Counties.  This year’s Stand Down is April 29th-30th at the Concourse Rotary Pavilion on Highway 52 in Spring Hill.
Please click on the link below to sign up or contact Don Ottinger, (850) 585-3579, [email protected]. Provide your name, phone number, and email.
 
In short, Stand Downs are a nationwide grass roots effort to help homeless and at risk Veterans obtain the services they need to integrate back into their communities as contributing members of society. The Stand Downs started in San Diego in 1988 and are patterned after the Stand Down concept used during the Vietnam War to provide a safe retreat for units returning from combat operations. The secure base camps provided troops access to the services they needed to recover from combat actions. Similarly, the current day Stand Downs provide a safe environment for struggling Veterans to escape a very stressful environment and get the help they need.
 
Prior to the COVID pandemic, various organizations across the U.S. held over 300 Stand Downs with 14 occurring in Florida. With COVID subsiding, those organizations are ramping Stand Downs back up.
 
One Community Now, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with its offices in New Port Richey, is the lead organization. The goal of One Community Now is to bring churches, businesses, schools, organizations, and local government together to meet the un-met needs in the Tampa Bay Area.
 
The One Community Now Operation Stand Down typically attracts over 300 Veterans during the two day Stand Down. Dental services include hygiene, fillings, and extractions (we have a fully equipped mobile dental unit with two chairs and a hygiene area with 4 chairs) with an estimated value of over $50,000.
 
We have two shifts each day:
- Friday (April 29th):   9:45am - 1:30pm and 1:15pm - 5:00pm
- Saturday (April 30th): 9:45am - 1:30pm and 1:15pm - 5:00pm
 
Our most urgent need is for dentists. We normally have two dentists on each shift since we have 2 chairs on the mobile dental unit. However, we have used 1 dentist per shift on some occasions with the dentist moving between the chairs. 
 
Currently we only have 2 volunteer dentists — both signed up for the Friday afternoon shift (1:15pm - 5:00pm).
 
We also have openings for hygienists.
 
Click here to sign up!