Smiles on Wheels is a non-profit mobile hygiene program comprised of Registered Dental Hygienists and coordinators, operating under Public Act 161 of 2005. The program is focused on providing preventive oral health care services in schools, and other nontraditional settings. In 2006, three hygienists had a vision to bring oral health care to those in underserved populations. Services include; dental cleanings, dental assessments, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and oral health education.
In the first year of implementation, Smiles on Wheels served 334 children. To date, Smiles on Wheels has surpassed the mark of serving over 30,000 children in need. Currently, Smiles on Wheels services over 150 schools across Michigan, with 100 in the Lower Peninsula.
Smiles on Wheels partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in 2007, under the SEAL! Michigan Program. The objective of this collaboration was to bring preventive dental sealants to children, in their school setting, to reduce the occurrence of dental decay. Schools qualifying for the SEAL! Michigan Program must have 50% or greater participation in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, or they must be located in a dental health professional shortage area. The current grant program covers children in all grades K-12. As a courtesy, Smiles on Wheels serves all children in the elementary and middle school settings. Smiles on Wheels also has a clinic located at the Jackson County Health Department, where children who were absent from school can come to receive their dental sealants.
The Smiles on Wheels staff work diligently to establish a working relationship with local dental offices and clinics so that children will have the best chance of placement in a dental home. If a child is seen in the sealant program, and is in an emergency situation, Smiles on Wheels will follow-up with parents and school staff until that child has received care and is out of pain.
Smiles on Wheels has placed approximately 85,000 sealants on children in Michigan in efforts to prevent tooth decay. Throughout the years, Smiles on Wheels has grown and refined its school-based sealant program, and at the same time has earned the trust of parents, school staff, and all those they serve.