In 1996, Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine , the Harlem Hospital Dental Services and other community groups established the Community DentCare Network to provide northern Manhattan residents with more access to quality dental care.

The Community DentCare Network is affiliated with the Northern Manhattan Community Voices Collaborative. The Northern Manhattan Community Voices program has been instrumental in facilitating partnerships between institutions, schools, and community-based organizations to improve the general and oral health of the Washington Heights/Inwood and Harlem communities. It currently serves as a vehicle for the systematic planning of health promotion and disease prevention strategies that benefit northern Manhattan residents.

It is also a partner in the Northern Manhattan Community Access Program, a partnership of the New York County Dental Society, the Dominican Dental Association and community dental clinics, working to expand access to oral health care in Washington Heights/Inwood and Harlem.