ILLUMINATION HEALTH + HOME DEDICATES DENTAL CLINIC TO DR. MICHELE MCGILL
SANTA ANA, Calif., May 6, 2025 – Illumination Health + Home, an Orange County-based nonprofit committed to disrupting the cycle of homelessness and the largest provider of family emergency beds in Orange County, named the dental clinic in honor of a longstanding volunteer who has dedicated her life to serving others. The center, now named The Michele McGill, DDS Dental Clinic, provides dental services to hundreds of clients.
Michele McGill, DDS of Dental Clinic Where Smiles are Created began a dental clinic in a closet of an Illumintion shelter in 2015. Seven years later, Illumination Health + Home opened a dedicated dental clinic where Dr. McGill advocated for equipment and volunteer dentists so the organization can expand it’s services. Dr. McGill and her husband have served as members of the organization’s Board for over 16 years – supporting the nonprofit’s mission.
“The patients we see are the ones who are working hard to reintegrate back into society, and this means they need to have decent teeth. Without teeth, their job prospects are bleak, and without a job, it’s almost impossible for them to get back on their feet. Having teeth immensely helps the recovery process from thei experience of being homeless. And of course, good dental health affects a person’s whole health. You can’t be health without having good teeth,” said Dr. McGill.
“Dr. McGill represents the very best of our community—she saw a gap in care and stepped in with compassion, consistency, and deep commitment,” said Dr. Pooja Bhalla, CEO of Illumination Health + Home. “This clinic stands as a living legacy of her service and the life-changing difference dental care makes for our clients.”
As a dental practitioner who commits her life to advocating for the health and longevity of individuals, Dr. McGill has used her abilities to give back to those who need it most and has done so humbly, generously and with passion at the center. She provides dental cleanings and care to unhoused community members who might otherwise suffer from untreated dental injury or illness for far too long, or lack access to proper dental care for unknown periods.
About Illumination Health + Home
Illumination Health + Home is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides targeted, interdisciplinary services for the most vulnerable homeless adults and children to disrupt the cycle of homelessness. The organization provides a full continuum of care from street to home, including case management, medical coordination, behavioral health and substance use counseling, and housing navigation to our vulnerable clients in shelters/navigation centers, family emergency homes, recuperative care/medical respite facilities, and permanent supportive housing. To learn more, visit: https://www.ifhomeless.org/.
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