Mobile Dental Van (S-Miles To Go)

The S-Miles To Go program services more than 3,500 patients each year throughout Chautauqua County, a primarily rural area south of Buffalo.

Inside the van, children can get a variety of dental care including:

The van is typically staffed by pediatric and general dentists from the School of Dental Medicine, as well as a dental hygienist and a dental assistant.

Approximately the size of a school bus, the van contains a state-of-the-art dental clinic including three dental chairs, a panoramic X-ray machine, a sanitization center and a patient waiting area. There is also a powered chair lift for disabled patients.

Through the S-Miles To Go Program, students at the School of Dental Medicine gain firsthand experience working with patients in rural areas. “By sending our students on the van, we expose them to a different community that can’t walk into this dental school and receive care,” said Stephen Abel, DDS, a dean at the dental school. “Ideally, this will inspire our students to want to practice in these settings.”

Funding for the van is provided by New York State, a federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, and gifts from the Lenna Foundation and the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation.

The Mobile Dental Unit is available to schools, organizations and communities primarily in Chautauqua County. If you would like the Mobile Dental Unit to visit you, please complete and submit the Request Services form.

You can view information about your privacy, rights and responsibilities on the patient website.