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National Dental Care Day helps provide free dental care to underserved individuals
July 24, 2025 · 0 Comments
Written By Brian Lockhart
The mayor and council of Orangeville have officially proclaimed October 10, 2025, as National Dental Care Day, joining a movement offering free dental care to underserved individuals.
The initiative provides dental care with no income threshold, paperwork, or judgment. It provides dignity for those who require dental work, but can’t afford it.
At the heart of this movement is Dr. Raj Khanuja, who runs Headwaters Dental in Orangeville as well as several other clinics.
His personal mission to serve the underserved has blossomed into a national call to action.
Dr. Raj launched this new initiative after receiving the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, in recognition of the over $385,000 in free dental care delivered through his clinics since 2012.
Every year, Dr. Raj hosts a free dental care day for those who require help. He does not ask why they need free dental care and does not require anyone to provide proof of income.
From offering free care at his clinics to inspiring a coast-to-coast network of kindness, Dr. Raj’s journey reflects the best of Canadian values: compassion, dignity, and community service.
“Dentistry isn’t just about teeth – it’s about dignity, about giving people the confidence to smile again,” Dr. Raj said. “No one should miss life’s precious moments because they can’t afford dental care.”
Dr. Raj was inspired to start his initiative through encounters with patients like a single mother who postponed her own dental care to buy hockey equipment for her son. Another patient, who was a wheelchair user, just wanted to smile in her daughter’s wedding photos.
Dr. Raj saw first-hand the transformative power of compassionate dental care.
National Dental Care Day calls on every dental clinic to open at least ‘one chair for one day’ to individuals in need.
Six provinces and over a dozen cities have issued proclamations supporting the cause, with endorsements growing weekly.
“If each clinic opens just one chair, together we can restore thousands of smiles in a single day,” Dr. Raj said.
You can learn more at the movement’s official website at NationalDentalCareDay.ca.
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