When Dr. Ricardo Alchini, DMD’21, first entered ɬ’s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, his sights were set on cosmetic dentistry. The technical precision and artistry of the field appealed to him, and he envisioned a future shaping perfect smiles. But during his final year here, something unexpected happened.
“I was having more and more experiences with the outreach program and the Community Clinics that the Faculty was collaborating with,” he recalls. Through the Faculty’s Service to the Community program, Dr. Alchini’s interest was drawn beyond cosmetic dentistry. “Working with the Mobile Clinic on Saturday mornings became the most fun thing I would do during my last year,” he says, “it was challenging, but in the best way possible.”
He began to see dentistry through a new lens: not just as a profession, but as a tool for equity, dignity, and empowerment. “Being an immigrant myself and having a background of being from a minority in Canada to some extent, I was drawn to this population. Thinking of patients who didn’t have the same opportunities – the underprivileged ones and underserved populations – that sparked something in me.”
An Unexpected Career Path
After graduation, Dr. Ricardo Alchini by chance learned that Faculty Assistant Professor Dr. Yu Kwong Li, DDS'90, needed help with his mobile dental clinic. So, Dr. Alchini split his time between the mobile clinic and private practice. While he enjoyed both, the draw to community dentistry deepened. When he entered an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at NYU Langone Health, fate intervened again: his entire practicum took place in a community clinic! The fit was instant, and community dentistry became an inevitable fact of Dr. Alchini’s work.
Now based in Washington State, U.S., he works three days a week in an inner-city community clinic in south Seattle, one day week in a rural community clinic about an hour from the city, and one day a week in a private practice downtown. He treasures the contrast between public and private dentistry, saying “Both have pros and cons. The types of procedures are different, and I enjoy all of it. I never wanted to specialize because I can’t pick just one area of dentistry – they’re all too interesting! This mix gives me the chance to experience the widest variety in the profession. I cannot limit myself!”
Adapting to Diverse Needs
In treating such varied populations, his approach begins the same way every time: a clear, respectful conversation. “I tell patients, ‘I’m here to identify what’s happening in your mouth; I’m going to report that to you, and then we can go over the options. You choose what works for you.’ And then we go from there.”
He tailors treatments not only to clinical needs, but also to patient comfort levels, financial realities, and cultural contexts. A patient afraid of surgery might opt for a partial denture instead of implants; someone with limited coverage might choose phased treatments, and so on. “It’s not about what’s best for a tooth, it’s about what’s best for the person,” he explains. “It's like ballroom dancing: there are constantly follow and lead dynamics. It's the patient who dictates the rhythm, and you adapt.”
Navigating a Changing Landscape
Dr. Ricardo Alchini’s career has given him a unique perspective on community dentistry in both Canada and the United States. When he first moved south, he found Medicaid coverage in Washington more comprehensive than Canada’s public dental coverage at the time. But today, trends are shifting: Canada’s new Canadian Dental Care Plan is expanding access, while U.S. programs face budget cuts.
“These changes make advocacy more important than ever,” he explains. “Advocacy isn’t just talking to policymakers. Nowadays it's about producing knowledge and conveying it to the general population so that they know risks, they know the importance of the treatment, and so they can also advocate for us. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is help one person understand why healthcare issues matter, and they amplify that in their community.”
Misinformation and distrust of healthcare professionals present another hurdle. “People are more skeptical of science now,” he says. “That’s not entirely bad – it’s part of critical thinking – but it does mean we have to build another layer of trust. And in a busy community clinic, sometimes you only have 10 minutes to do that.” Navigating these issues, with speed, is a challenge, but Dr. Alchini finds it energizing. “It doesn't get tiring. Most of what I do is connection to patients and getting them to trust and to come back. And each patient is so different that it never gets repetitive.”
Energy and Dancing
Working between community clinics and private practice for more than 50 hours a week, Dr. Alchini says the variety of his work also keeps him energized. “I’m lucky that each clinic is so different that it doesn’t feel like 50 hours. It actually doesn’t! The procedures, the people – there’s always something new.”
He laughs recalling one particularly relaxed patient who began dancing in the dental chair. “I had to say, ‘I’m glad you’re having fun, but please don’t dance when I have sharp instruments in your mouth!’ Moments like that remind you of the human side of this work.” It’s just as well he’s a keen dancer in his personal life.
Looking Ahead
Though he plans to remain in clinical practice for the time-being, Dr. Alchini envisions returning to academia in the future. Before becoming a dentist, he earned a PhD at ɬ in Neuroscience and still draws on that training daily. “Neuroscience and dentistry are closely related, like in understanding pain pathways for example. That background helps me explain things to patients in a way they can understand. One day, I’d like to combine my clinical experience with teaching and research. I think I’ll be a better educator after spending more time with patients.”
For now, his focus remains on delivering compassionate, evidence-based care to those who need it most – a commitment deeply rooted in his ɬ education. “The Faculty didn’t just teach me dentistry. Through its community service programs, it taught me that oral health is a matter of equity. Everyone deserves the chance to smile without pain, no matter their background or circumstances.”
His journey from cosmetic aspirations to community service is a testament to the Faculty’s mission of serving the community while training skilled, socially conscious dental medicine practitioners.