BIG SMILES PROVIDES mobile Dental SERVICES for Schools, shelters, treatment centers and foster programs. The goal: a dental home.

According to the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors:

• "The public health infrastructure for oral health is inadequate to address the oral health needs of America's underserved and disadvantaged populations."

• "Providing dental care in community settings such as schools is an effective and proven way to reduce the burden of oral diseases"

• "Children suffering from untreated dental disease experience needless suffering and disability.  Poor oral health impacts their self-esteem and their ability to concentrate and learn in school."

• "school-based/linked dental sealant and treatment programs are essential to oral disease prevention and eradication."

Most of the millions of low-income children in the United States do not receive proper dental care and many experience acute dental pain. Low-income children are up to 5 times more likely to have untreated tooth decay and this frequently causes general health problems, learning difficulties, discomfort, eating problems, and esteem issues. Mobile dentists working in school-based dental programs have been shown to be an effective tool at addressing these problems.  Children benefit from healthier teeth and improved readiness to learn.  Schools benefit from reduced absenteeism, parent appreciation, and improved learning on behalf of students. Dentists benefit because the school-based program provides them a channel for reaching kids who otherwise would not make it into their practice despite needing treatment.  Furthermore, we provide administrative services to dentists while relying on their participation to make the program work rather than competing with them.

RHA works with providers to facilitate the delivery of comprehensive dental care for these children via mobile dental clinics that travel to schools, group homes, residential treatment centers, etc.   In this mobile dental program, the latest in mobile technology is used to bring top-quality care to patients in a compassionate manner that is minimal work for a site to implement. Key aspects of the program:

• Clinical Care: Dentist determines treatment plan which may include exam, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride, sealants, fillings and other restorative procedures that can be completed at the school-based clinic

• Case Management: Communication with parent or guardian on treatment status.  Ensuring treatment plan is completed and routine care provided on regular, periodic basis.  Administering of referrals and coordinating of transportation.  Managing visit frequency to each site to ensure continuity of care.

• Outreach: Effort on promoting services to parents in a culturally sensitive manner.  Bilingual consent forms, phone-based outreach, health fair attendance, etc.

• Ease of Use: Only a room needed and no human resources support from the site.

This program is designed to be in a school long-term via periodic visits in order to create a dental home for each patient.  This model has proven itself to be sustainable throughout our history which dates to 1997. 

These services come at no cost to the school or facility and children covered under Medicaid incur no out-of-pocket expenses for the dental provided through the program. Even uninsured children can receive dental services through the One More Child Foundation, a non-profit agency.

We are featured as a resource in National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center.

Please note, RHA is not a provider organization but instead provides administrative services for the program under the direction of a licensed dentist.  More information on our children's program can be found at the Big Smiles website.

 Please contact us to learn more about how the mobile dental program can be brought to your site.