Nevada Health Centers is marking National Children’s Dental Health Month by highlighting the work of its Northern Mobile Dental Program, which provides dental care to children in rural areas. Last fall, the mobile dental team visited 13 elementary and combined schools across the Elko County School District, including W. Wendover Elementary, Spring Creek Elementary, Grammar #2, Sage Elementary, Montello Combined, Northside, Liberty Peak, Carlin Combined, Jackpot Combined, Wells Combined, Owyhee Combined, Mountain View, and Southside.
The organization noted a high retention rate for dental sealants among students. “That 96% retention rate demonstrates not only the effectiveness of dental sealants but the quality and consistency of care provided by our team. Sealants are a simple, painless preventive measure that protects children’s permanent molars at a critical stage of development. For many of these students, this is care they might not otherwise receive due to transportation, cost, or access barriers,” Nevada Health Centers stated.
The mobile program works alongside services at Elko Family Medical & Dental Center to ensure continuity of care when further treatment is required. “Children’s Dental Health Month is about prevention, education, and access. In rural Nevada, our mobile dental unit brings all three directly to schools, protecting hundreds of smiles and building healthier futures for the communities we serve,” according to Nevada Health Centers.
Nevada Health Centers operates as a nonprofit and is designated as a federally qualified health center according to its official website. The organization delivers medical, dental, behavioral health and other services through multiple centers in both urban and rural parts of Nevada and supports patients regardless of their ability to pay. Its outreach includes school-based programs and mobile units such as the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile to increase healthcare access throughout the state.
The organization expressed appreciation for its staff: “To our dental team and everyone who supports these visits behind the scenes: thank you for making this work possible.”
