The Mobile Dental Center brings preventive and restorative dental services directly to schools and offers care regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The program, part of the Ingham Community Health Centers’ Healthy Smiles Dental Center, prioritizes rural and low-income schools, but all in-county schools may participate.

Good oral health is essential for good overall health. Access to oral health care is problematic for many children in Ingham County. The Mobile Dental Center, eliminates some of the hurdles, which include time, transportation and cost.

A $500,000 grant from the Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funded the fully-equipped, handicap accessible bus in addition to other equipment. 

The Healthy Smiles Dental Center serves as a dental home for Mobile Dental Center patients who do not currently have a dentist. The Wi-Fi-equipped bus and the Lansing-based office utilize electronic dental records for seamless connection.