Adults, veterans & seniors
Brighter Way’s flagship facility is a state-of-the-art dental center located in downtown Phoenix on Key Campus, formerly known as the Human Services Campus.
Founded in January 2001, the Center’s long-standing target population is adults experiencing homelessness, veterans, and low-income seniors. Innovative partnerships have helped Brighter Way create a new model of community oral health delivery integrating a wide variety of dental specialties. In 2020, Brighter Way completed a 2,521-square-foot capital campaign that doubled capacity through fundamental transformations driven by the digital dental revolution.
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The Brighter Way model of care
As we strive to establish a permanent Dental Home for vulnerable low-income and homeless adults, we also address a patient’s overall well-being through a community network of collaborations. This effort drives the need to reduce inequities resulting from social determinants of health, poverty, and homelessness.
Each patient has an oral health treatment plan that, in many cases, requires complex restoration through multiple services and a coordinated care process that considers multiple domains of the patient’s overall health. As part of the Campus collective, there is a pathway to help address the overall quality of a patient’s life and well-being.
If someone is on the street and needs emergency care, or an ex-homeless veteran requires complex care, Brighter Way is there.
Restoring health & possibility
Impoverished adults experience unimaginable disparities and barriers to care that at first glance may seem insurmountable. Brighter Way addresses a patient’s overall well-being and provides long-term oral health care with reliable access to services, screenings, and treatment regardless of their ability to pay.
The center has state-of-the-art dental equipment and is considered one of the top providers for dental implants in Phoenix, Arizona. Brighter Way also provides a flexible model of remote access for older at-risk adults and unhoused patients through our Mobile Dental Center.
Who we serve
Over three years, Brighter Way has seen an accelerating trend in the overall number of complex restorative services needed among older adults. This pathway increases capacity to restore overall patient health through better nutrition and improved self-esteem. We have seen an unprecedented 264% one-year increase in surgical bone replacement grafts and tissue regeneration procedures that are prerequisite to implant placement.
Brighter Way understands there is a strong need to consider existing health conditions and treatment risks of our homeless patients before providing oral health surgery. Through collaborations on the Human Services Campus, we are able to provide triage screenings to determine how to most effectively tailor services to each patient and determine if our patient is a suitable candidate for implants.
With an estimated 253,512 veterans in Maricopa County, almost half are age 60 or older, and one in four struggle with chronic health issues and severe dental disease. In 2022, Brighter Way proudly provided 5,447 oral health services to 944 low-income veterans who could not access the complex services they needed or afford the care. Reports indicate access to dental care is among the top three unmet needs of Arizona veterans.
Injuries to the head and neck occur in over 65% of domestic abuse cases, resulting in physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. Brighter Way professionals understand the impact of this trauma. In addition to offering dental interventions and restoring oral health, we make every effort to help survivors gain access to appropriate support and referral services so as to make a positive difference in their lives.
State-of-the-art care
Purpose-built clinical spaces help Brighter Way deliver coordinated surgery, restoration, and long-term oral healthcare with efficiency and compassion.
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April 11, 2025
Recognizing community support for three new surgical centers.
Celebrating the completion of three state-of-the-art surgical suites, Brighter Way Institute and a group of community supporters unveiled three newly dedicated surgical suites at the Diane & Bruce Halle Dental Center located on Key Campus.
With an opening welcome by Linda Mettler, a Brighter Way Board Member, and an historical presentation by Dr. Kris Volcheck, Founding CEO, the event began. Michael McGranghan, a veteran patient who received full oral health implantation, told the story of his journey with Brighter Way that transformed his life from homelessness to permanent employment, a new smile, and a new life.
Unveilings began with the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Surgical Suite, dedicated “in appreciation for leadership in increasing access to quality oral health care.” Emily Mead and Karen Leland were in attendance.
Veteran Board Member Terry Araman then introduced Janis Chapman from the Janis Chapman Merrill Foundation, a dedicated supporter of healthcare for people experiencing homelessness. Her suite was dedicated “in appreciation for leadership in improving oral health care to homeless individuals.”
Lastly, Dr. Volcheck proudly introduced and dedicated the final surgical suite to Dr. Jack Dillenberg, a Founding Brighter Way Board Member. The suite was dedicated “to honor Dr. Dillenberg’s decades of distinguished service advancing compassionate oral health care to the underserved.”
Dustin Marshall, VP of the Downtown Center, thanked all in attendance with inspirational closing remarks.
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