A new mobile dental clinic from the University of Chicago Medicine is bringing free dental care directly to older adults in Chicago’s South Side and nearby suburbs.
The program is part of a five-year research study designed to help people who have difficulty accessing dental services, particularly those without insurance.
Patients of UChicago Medicine in Illinois who are over the age of 50 and do not have dental insurance are eligible to enroll in the trial.
The 37-foot mobile clinic is equipped with two dental chairs and provides a range of services, including oral examinations, X-rays, dentures and root canals.
Researchers hope the mobile unit will make dental care more accessible for patients who may face barriers such as transportation or cost.
“Bringing care closer to home is critical to so many people we hope to serve,” said Dr. David Meltzer, principal investigator of the study and the Fanny L. Pritzker Professor of Medicine. “We are really excited to see the mobile unit on the move.”
