By using the example of a charity dental clinic for immigrants from Russia organized by American dental students in 1990, the article briefly examines the history of dental care in the Soviet Union. Largely run by state, the dental care was widely available but suffered from low quality, leading to a population characterized by poor dental health. The article hinds at the opposite issue developing in the United States, where despite high quality dental care, many individuals could not and still cannot afford necessary dental procedures.

Key words: opieka stomatologiczna, kontekst historyczny.