Quick Facts on the
Mobile Dental Clinic

It is a “dentist’s office on wheels” that is fully accessible to members with disabilities and in wheelchairs.
The 43-foot clinic is fully equipped with state-of-the-art dental equipment, including three dental chairs, chairside digital radiology, and an electronic health record system to serve approximately 15 people a day.
It is staffed by University of Minnesota School of Dentistry faculty and supervised dental and dental hygiene students who provide preventive dental services (cleanings and primary dental care check-ups) to eligible UCare members.
The clinic is operational most days. It visits facilities in the metro, central, and near southern counties on a monthly basis, and also spends a week at several sites in Greater Minnesota each year.
The clinic travels about 15,000 miles annually, and delivers approximately 5,000 dental procedures to about 1,000 members each year.

UCare saw a growing problem of limited access to dental care for state public program members.
UCare and the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry developed this innovative partnership to address the dental access problem.
The first clinic, UCare Tooth Care, was launched on August 6, 2002, initially serving patients in the Twin Cities metro area. In February 2003, it began moving out into Greater Minnesota.
The current clinic began serving members in November 2010.

UCare’s public health care program members throughout Minnesota enrolled in programs such as MinnesotaCare and the Prepaid Medical Assistance Program.
Additionally, the Mobile Dental Clinic visits community agencies such as Centro and People Serving People to provide dental care to uninsured and underinsured individuals at no charge.

UCare — the first health plan in Minnesota to own and operate a mobile dental clinic. UCare purchased and equipped the recreational vehicle, and handles member communications.
University of Minnesota School of Dentistry — the state's only dental school. Faculty, staff, and students staff the unit, providing primarily preventive and limited restorative dental care, as well as referrals for follow-up visits.
DentaQuest Dental Services — UCare's dental services provider. DentaQuest will assist with referrals when additional services are necessary.
Itasca Corporation — handles administrative duties (billing, scheduling, driving, maintenance).
Counties, community agencies, and clinics — provide parking space for the clinic and waiting areas for patients.