LVHN relaunches free mobile dental clinic for kids. What you need to know

Lehigh Valley Health Network has brought back a program that could provide dental care to thousands of in-need children in the Lehigh Valley over the next few years.

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital on Tuesday morning showed off its new Miles of Smiles dental van, which will provide free dental services to children at their schools.

Miles of Smiles launched in 2009 and provided dental care to more than 6,700 low-income people, nearly all children, during its first four years of operation. However, it was discontinued in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Schools were closed for such a long time and the van was kind of on the older side, so it was retired,” said Dr. Deborah Campbell, chair of LVHN’s dental department. “We actually had the funding from Capitol Blue back in 2020 but because of supply chain issues with COVID, we weren’t able to have construction done until just now.”

However, it was announced in 2021 that the program would be revived through a $500,000 grant from Capital Blue Cross. The new van, Miles 2.0, has two fully equipped dental rooms and will be staffed by dentists and a hygienist. Contracted schools will primarily be at the elementary level and care will be provided by appointment. Campbell said each dentist should be able to see eight to 10 patients per day.

Staff will perform fillings, extractions, cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, and educate patients about oral hygiene and health. Children with dental needs that cannot be met on Miles 2.0 will be referred for oral surgery services at the network’s dental clinics at 17th Street or Muhlenberg.

There are also small gifts for children, Dr. Janelle Laufer, a network dentist who will be part of the the van, handed a toy ring to a little girl who came with her mother to check out the new van Tuesday morning.

“I love working with kids, I really look forward to being a part of this program,” Laufer said.

Laufer and other staff on the van should be in action relatively soon. Campbell said screening services will begin this month and the network hopes to have the van at schools starting in late October. She said during this school year it will focus primarily in the northern part of LVHN and Jefferson Health’s coverage area, specifically in the Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Hazelton areas, but will expand to more schools.

Campbell said dental care is provided at no cost to families; the network will either sign children up for Medicaid or it will be covered as charity care if the child doesn’t qualify for Medicaid.

“This just such an incredible service because it allows children to be treated right at the schools,” Campbell said. “Parents don’t have to take off work to get their child there, so it just breaks down the barriers for access to care.”