Hawaii - Kokua Kalihi Valley CHC - AEGD

Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV) was founded in 1972 with healthcare being provided to the patients of Kalihi Valley in trailers previously used by the military. Dental care was the first healthcare service provided at KKV.  The dental clinic has grown since then into the current dental department which includes a modern 12 operatory main clinic and 2 mobile Dental Buses.  The KKV dental buses bring preventive care to the Kalihi community, primarily for its school-based sealant program which has been in existence since 1995. At the main clinic, dental residents and staff dentists provide a full range of comprehensive oral health services.

Over the years, KKV as a healthcare clinic has expanded and now provides comprehensive healthcare, oral health care and extensive outreach services to the Kalihi Valley community under the motto, “Neighbors being neighborly to neighbors”. KKV has also started a number of unique programs such as a youth bicycle program, a food sustainability program, and a 100 acre nature preserve. KKV is diverse with more than half the staff speaking different languages and dialects and coming from a variety of cultures.  This reflects the uniqueness and diversity of Kalihi.  

Beginning in 2002, KKV was the first site AEGD site in Hawaii through Lutheran Medical Center.  The AEGD program has helped KKV to respond to the needs of the Kalihi community by increasing access to dental care and dental specialties.  Specialty dentists in oral surgery, endodontics, prosthodontics, periodontics, pedodontics, and dental public health volunteer their time to teach at KKV.

Our program has all the benefits of a large educational institution such as NYU Langone.  Along with this, KKV strives to provide each resident with a customized, and well-rounded education focusing on each resident’s experience according to their professional goals by enriching their clinical exposure to their areas of interest. It is our goal to create a rich, robust, and rewarding advanced post-doctoral training. Many graduates from the KKV residency program have gone on to careers in private practice, and most notably, careers in community dentistry and post-graduate programs.