MORGANTOWN — In just three weeks since the Smile Express made its debut, 128 youngsters have received dental care from the mobile dental office run by the Monongalia County Health Department (MCHD).
“It’s such an awesome thing,” Tiffany Summerlin, Smile Express program coordinator, said.
Smile Express is a 38-foot 2005 Winnebago was converted into a mobile dentist office with two chairs.
It took about 62 weeks from finding out MCHD received a grant from Delta Dental on July 11, 2017, to Sept. 17, 2018, when the first patient stepped on board to receive treatment, Dr. Dan Carrier said at Friday’s “floss-cutting” for the vehicle.
Carrier said it’s thanks to grants from Delta Dental and additional funding from the Monongalia County Commission and Rotary Club of Cheat Lake, Smile Express become more than a dream.
The mobile office helps remove barriers to dental care by going to those who need it most, removing the need for transportation to a dental office, Carrier said.
A high school senior was able to receive dental care for the first time in his life — an experience Summerlin said she’d never forget.
Smile Express offers preventative dental care, including examinations, cleaning, oral health advice and tobacco education, Summerlin said.
The idea of mobile dentists and clinics is not new, Carrier said, but MCHD is the first county health department to officer the service.
Smile Express is free if a student doesn’t have insurance and insurance is billed if they do, Summerlin said.
“Making a difference to as many people, in as many places is the goal,” she said.
Tweet Will Dean @WillDean_DP; wdean@domininionpost.com
