University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, in partnership with San Francisco Department of Public Health, took the lead in rolling out new COVID-19 vaccination efforts in San Francisco. 

Several hundred students and employees of the healthcare programs on the San Francisco Campus, including those working on the front lines in the dental clinics, received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine during clinics held Jan. 30 and 31. As allowed by local health guidelines, the initial vaccines were allocated to those involved in the dental and audiology healthcare programs.

"We are proud to have the Dugoni School family step up to help face and end this pandemic," said Dr. Nader Nadershahi, dean of the Dugoni School. “We are committed to rapidly administering vaccines and will be prepared to support vaccinations for those in our community and beyond as more become available.”  

The vaccine rollout was a collaborative effort involving many members of Pacific’s healthcare programs, including the Dugoni School of Dentistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and School of Health Sciences. Pharmacy faculty, physician assistant program faculty, and dental school faculty and student volunteers were involved in the creation and launch of the vaccine distributions.

"I feel grateful and privileged to be vaccinated in a safe and convenient environment,” said Maggie Ma '22, a student at Dugoni School of Dentistry. “As a proud volunteer, I look forward to helping out with our vaccine clinic continuously in the future to expand its coverage."

As additional vaccine supplies become available in February, the Dugoni School is hoping to open up appointments to the professional dental community and members of the wider public who qualify for vaccines.

Dentists and dental school faculty volunteers across the state are making an impact as healthcare workers get involved in vaccine rollouts. In early January, the Department of Consumer Affairs in California issued a waiver that lets dentists administer vaccines authorized by the FDA after completing a short sequence of training.