Mobile Dental Clinic Brings Essential Care to Rural Vermont Communities

The mobile dental unit. Pictured left to right: Sara Davis, DDS; Jessy Brault, Service Line Administrator, Brieann Cloutier, Dental Assistant/Dental Treatment Coordinator; and Tabitha Collins, RDH.

Lamoille Health Partners has introduced an innovative solution to rural dental care access with their mobile dental unit, nicknamed “Flo.” The converted RV, funded by $550,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act money, features two fully equipped operating rooms capable of handling basic dental procedures including cleanings, fillings, and X-rays.

The initiative specifically targets communities where transportation and accessibility pose significant barriers to dental care. The mobile unit made its first visits to Waterville Elementary School and the Lamoille Community House homeless shelter, addressing a critical gap in healthcare services.

The program acknowledges the practical challenges facing rural families, where parents often must take entire days off work for their children’s dental appointments. By establishing regular three- to six-month rotation schedules at schools, the team aims to create consistent care patterns for students.

The mobile dental van.

The service operates on both insurance and sliding-fee scales, making it accessible to various income levels. For homeless shelter residents, where dental care often competes with basic necessities, the mobile unit removes significant barriers to access.

“This is an easier way to get to those medically underserved communities, to get to those that have transportation issues,” Stuart May, Lamoille Health president and CEO, said in the interview with News & Citizen.

Nicole Chauvin, the shelter manager at Lamoille Community House, offered a stark perspective on the reality facing many residents: “Do I pay my rent, or do I get my teeth cleaned? Do I put food on the table, or do I get my teeth cleaned? You have to make these decisions, and they aren’t always easy decisions to make,” she told the News & Citizen.

Read the full story by Tommy Gardner from October 17, 2024 in the News & Citizen: Dentists log miles to improve smiles

Related Articles

Healthcare for Those Falling Through the Cracks in Los Angeles

In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Healing California organized a community event in October dedicated to offering crucial medical, dental, and vision services to those who lack access to proper healthcare.

Expanding Dental Care Access to All: Jessica Dubek

Dr. Jessica Dubek, inspired by her work at a Native American reservation clinic, founded DentALL to provide dental care to underserved patients. Her portable clinics serve jail inmates and an isolated island community in Washington state.

Don’t Wait for the Stars to Align

Dr. Richard Eidal reflects on his rewarding experience volunteering with Global Dental Relief in Nepal, providing much-needed dental care to underserved children and making a lasting impact on their lives.


Subscribe to the newsletter so that you never miss an uplifting story of medical humanitarians improving lives worldwide.

About Angels in Medicine

Angels in Medicine is a volunteer site dedicated to the humanitarians, heroes, angels, and bodhisattvas of medicine. The site features physicians, nurses, physician assistants and other healthcare workers and volunteers who reach people without the resources or opportunities for quality care, such as teens, the poor, the incarcerated, the elderly, or those living in poor or war-torn regions. Read their stories at www.medangel.org.

Interested in writing for Angels in Medicine? Know about an Angel we should interview? Drop me a note at harry@medangel.org.

Leave a Comment